Yugioh The College Years: The Different Story
by Yuugi Motoh
Summary: Alternate universe where the fates of the Pharoah and our favorite Duelist are more closely entwined than ever.. and two worlds hang in the balance. A continuation of the universe presented in The Road of Souls.
1. Chapter 1

YU-GI-OH: The College Years

Arc One - The Different Story

By Yuugi Motoh

DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Yu-Gi-Oh" or any of the series characters, creatures, situations or locations that are mentioned in this story. Those are all property of Kazuki Takahashi, 4Kids Television, and any and all other people, organizations, and whatnot who were involved in the creation, publication, filming and'or broadcast of the anime, movie or manga. Absolutely no copyright infringement is intended. This is a non-profit work of fan fiction.

That being said, any of the original characters and settings that may appear in this or subsequent stories in "The College Years" line might kind of sort of be mine. Or maybe they're their own. This series has been begging to be told for two years. Who am I to keep telling the King of Games "no"? grin

Please note that this story takes place sometime after the end of the "Battle City" arc, but does incorporate the events of the movie. However, the Doom Corporation doesn't appear here (sorry, Doomie fans) nor does anything after that. This is an alternate universe, and my previous story "The Road of Souls" does tie into it. Consider "Road" as sort of a prequel, if you will.

I apologize in advance for the fact that the American names, rather than the Japanese ones, are used; likewise, I apologize for the fact there may well be stronger language and more adult-like situations than some viewers of the series might expect. There's also the point that the powers of the cards and the style of playing a Duel might not be strictly "tournament legal"... but then neither is the series itself. I'll do my best, I promise.

Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, listen closely; this is how it might've been, somewhere, somewhen.

* * *

_I'm so lonely on my way, __waiting for a better day_

_only one thing left behind-__a world of lust and crime_

_There's no place for me to hide, __I don't know what's wrong or right_

_pain and sorrow in my mind, __a world of lust and crime..._

_See the wise man in the graveyard __screaming, 'Play the different story'_

_lonely people, it is so hard, __know the answer just for everything_

_Love __turns a friendly card_

_with a different story it'll open your heart_

_forever love __is an endless game_

_you don't have to worry cause it's easy to play..._

--Peter Schilling, "The Different Story"

CHAPTER 1

Yugi Motoh finished cramming a few last items into the battered suitcase, then pushed down on the lid to get it closed. With a sigh he plopped down on the floor beside his bed. From the tips of his sneakers, his gaze wandered slowly up and around the little room he lived in over the Turtle Game Shop. The shelves and walls looked a little bare, with good reason. A large portion of their previous contents were packed neatly away in boxes by the door, ready to be picked up and taken downstairs. Only one thing sat on his desk now, and the morning sun through the skylight in the ceiling picked out warm highlights on its surface.

Standing, Yugi walked over, picked up the metal box, and opened it carefully. It wasn't large, and the contents were few; a single cloth-wrapped bundle. Folding back the cloth, he looked at the first card on the stack of three. A great metallic beast, partly like a dragon, partly like a griffin, stared back up at him. Someone else might've thought it was their imagination that made them feel as if the creature pictured was staring back patiently, waiting for its name to be called.

"Ra," Yugi whispered, and brushed his fingers over the picture. The faintest stir of wind from nowhere answered him, like a gigantic wing slowly unfurling, then lazily closing again. He closed the box again and stood there, holding it in both hands, eyes closed.

_Should I leave them here, with Grandpa? Or hide them somewhere, I wonder? Sometimes just having them is trouble. I don't blame the cards; it's just... I never wanted to be famous. I never wanted to have people chasing me everywhere I go, wanting a shot at the God Cards and the King of Games. Not to mention the weirdos who keep popping up wanting to use the cards for all the wrong reasons._

_No... I can't really leave them. They're safest with me. With us. If the worst thing I have to worry about is people showing up wanting a Duel, then I've got it pretty soft. It's been quiet these last two years. Maybe, maybe we've finally gotten through it all. Though I can't help thinking that--_

_'We've discussed this.'_

Yugi half-winced, but not with any real feeling behind it. "Yeah, we have," he said, turning towards the speaker, "but I really wish you'd reconsider."

_'There is nothing to reconsider.' _Across the room a second version of Yugi folded his arms. Well, not quite; the resemblance was strong, the likeness of identical twins. But the second form was taller, older, and his eyes held more than a hint of power. _'Egypt may or may not hold answers for us, but one thing is certain: the past is the past. I should resign myself to the idea I will never re-capture it. All that truly matters is that we face the future together.' _The steely gaze softened. _'You can't sacrifice everything for me all the time.' _

"I never felt like that, and you know it!" Yugi scowled a little. "It wasn't a sacrifice. We shared it. We're partners."

_'We are far more than that.' _Yami moved over, one translucent hand reaching out to rest on Yugi's chest. _'YOU are the heart of the Pharoah.'_

Yugi flushed a little and nodded, shy and proud at the same time. "Okay, but if you change your mind..."

_'If I change my mind, I'll let you know.'_ Yami turned away, looking out the window. _'It... will seem strange, not being here.'_

"Yeah. A little scary, too. I keep wondering if I'm ready for this."

The Spirit arched an eyebrow. _'If you're ready for THIS?'_

"...That did sound kind of dumb, didn't it? After all we've been through, you'd think moving away to college would be the least of my worries. Am I stressing out?"

_'Perhaps a bit. It is something of a step into the unknown. Still, I have no worries. I know what you're capable of. And I admit I'm curious as well. We've had so little time to really experience the world outside Domino. I want the time and leisure to learn more about it.' _Yami smirked. _'Despite what Seto Kaiba may think, we have better things to do than be at his beck and call for Duels. The last time I checked, I did not have 'Property of KaibaCorp Research' stamped on my arse, and neither did you.'_

Yugi giggled. "I think I'd've noticed if he tried that. --He's not going to leave us alone for long, though."

_'No. His preoccupation with defeating us in a Duel is bordering on fanaticism, or obsession, or both. Although it is a testament to his skill and drive that his business does not suffer from it. He manages KaibaCorp well, whatever his personal goals are.'_

Outside, a horn blew twice, followed by the sound of a voice downstairs: "Yugi! Taxi's here!"

"Coming, Grandpa!" Hastily Yugi crammed the box with the God Cards in it into his backpack, slung it over one shoulder, snatched up his suitcase and clattered down the staircase. "I just have to get my other cards and my posters and stuff. Did you find that tote you were looking for last night?"

"Sure did." Solomon Motoh held up a slightly scuffed Army-issue duffle bag. "It's a little beat up, but I think you'll find it's perfectly servicable. Can't begin to tell you all the places that thing's been. It's probably got more miles on it than I do!"

"Great, I think the boxes will fit." Taking the bag, Yugi hesitated. "Grandpa, I...I'm so gonna miss you."

"Don't you worry about me, grandson. I've got my shop to take care of, and there are plenty of kids that hang out here. There always have been. Just give me a call or write an e-mail from time to time, and come home for the holidays." Solomon reached out, put his hands on Yugi's shoulders, and smiled at him gently. "I always knew, someday, you'd be leaving Domino to make your own life. I knew whatever you wanted to do, you'd succeed at it. You've always been a lot stronger than anyone expected you to be--even yourself. Now, go on, let's get you packed and on your way, that taxi meter's running."

The train station was crowded, hundreds of voices crisscrossing in conversation as travelers hurried on and off. Yugi kept scanning the crowds, hoping to see some of his friends. "I wish I knew where they were," he muttered under his breath, "I thought they'd at least come see me off..."

"Yuge! Hey, YUGE!" a voice bellowed over the din. "One side, dere, comin' through (oops, 'scuse me, was datcha foot? Sorry)--hey, MAKE some room, man on a mission here!" A lean figure pushed through, momentum making him almost stumble over Yugi. "Whoops! heh Hiya, short stuff."

"Joey!" Yugi''s face lit up. "Cool, you made it!"

"Like I would miss dis?" Joey Wheeler beamed down at his friend. "So, c'mon, let's get th' party started."

"Uh.. what par--" Yugi broke off as he noticed the bags slung over Joey's shoulders. "Joey, are you going somewhere?"

Joey favored him with a huge grin. "You are lookin' at an officially college-bound guy! Look out world, here comes Joseph Wheeler!"

"You're KIDDING! I mean, that's great, but you didn't mention--"

"It's a surprise, bro." This from a second young man, even taller than Joey, with short-cropped brown hair that was shaped in a retro 50's style cut. "Didn't think you'd get out of town without us, did you?"

"Tristan? You too?"

"How about, 'me three'-- and thanks SO much for WAITING, you goofballs," a third voice said as a young woman dragged up a huge locker and sat down on it with a sigh.

"Sorry 'bout that, Tèa. Fast game, though, ya gotta keep up."

"I bet my fist is faster. Care to check on that?"

"Eeesh, somebody got up on th' wrong side of th' bed this morning, huh?"

"Can it, guys," Tristan said. "We need to get a move on or we'll miss the train."

"Wait a second, wait a second!" Yugi looked from Tèa to Tristan to Joey and back again. "You're... all going on the train, too?"

"More than that, we're going with you." Tèa smiled. "We all applied at the same college you're going to, Yugi. We didn't tell you becase we weren't sure we'd all be accepted."

"Can't bust up a beautiful friendship like ours, can ya?" Joey grabbed Yugi in a headlock and scuffed his hair absently as he continued, "You're gonna need some REAL competition up there, yanno, to keep you sharp. Dese college kids probably don't know a Baby Dragon from a Petit Dragon."

"What Joey's trying to say, Yugi, is, well..." Tristan fidgeted. "It's not like any of us had any serious plans that we can't take care of if we just happen to be at the same school you're at, and, well..."

"What TRISTAN's trying to say is, we decided we didn't want to lose track of you, or each other. Maybe later on we'll all go our seperate ways, I mean, that's part of growing up. But there's no reason we can't stay together as long as we can, right?" Tèa finshed hopefully. "You're not mad or anything, are you? You don't think we're butting in...?"

"NO! I think it's great!" Yugi wriggled free of Joey and flung his arms around as much of the three as he could. "You guys are the best. But, how..?"

"Talked to ya grandpa," Joey said. "And, turns out my mom and dad set up me an' Serenity each a college fund when we were babies. Couldn't touch it f'r anything else, which is why Mom couldn't use it for Serenity's eye operation. It ain't a whole lot, not like Moneybags here--" he jabbed Tristan in the ribs with an elbow. "But I'll get by."

"And I got a scholarship," Tèa said.

"I... gosh, I don't know what to say..." Yugi blinked, trying not to tear up.

Tristan just smiled and held up his right hand with the back facing outward. "Friendship," he said simply. "The ink faded--"

"But our promise is forever," Tèa added. Beside her, Joey nodded and held up his in the same position.

"All aboooooooard!" the conductor shouted from the trackside, cutting across the moment. In a mad scramble, the four friends grabbed their various pieces of luggage and hurried aboard the train, oblivious to a figure watching them surreptitiously from behind a pillar. When they were aboard and out of sight the watcher moved across, walking calmly up the steps after them and settling in a forward compartment well out of sight.

"Tickets, everyone, please show me your tickets," the conductor said as the train began to move. "Excuse me sir, do you have a ticket?"

"Of course." As the newcomer spoke, on his chest a golden necklace, shaped rather like a dreamcatcher, flared into sight briefly. "Everything is in order, as I'm sure you see."

"Yes sir," the conductor replied, his eyes clouding over. "Enjoy your trip."

"Thank you. I'm certain this trip will prove to be... most interesting." Yami Bakura watched as the conductor passed by, then smirked. _Think that you've escaped me, Pharoah? By no means. We still have a score to settle, you and I. I'm not letting you, your Millenium Puzzle, OR the God Cards get away._

Some eight hours later, the train drew to a halt. "Jankenpon Center," the announcement came, "all passengers for Jankenpon Center please disembark. This train is continuing on to Ace City, Bridgeport, Washington, New York, and points north. Again, all passengers for Jankenpon Center please disembark on platform 5."

"That's our cue." Tristan stood and lifted luggage off the overhead rack, passing it over to the others. "We'll need to pick up Tèa's stuff outside."

"Yeah, trust a girl t'bring half da house with her," Joey joked, then ducked as Tèa swung at him.

Outside, the quartet finished collecting their things and moved off to one side, looking around. "Holy cow," Tristan said, "this place is big."

"Nah, it ain't all dat. We been in bigger places." Joey nudged Tristan. "Quit gawkin', you don't want folks thinkin' we're a buncha country rubes."

"It IS bigger than Domino," Tèa remarked. "This is going to take getting used to."

"I wonder where the college is?" Yugi stood on tiptoe, trying to peer past the people milling around.

"I don't think it's anywhere near here. The brochure said it was just outside of town."

"So, how do we get there, Miss Genius? I didn't exactly have a suitcase big enough to pack my scoot." Tristan shrugged. "Dad said he'd have it shipped up, but till then..."

"Like we could all fit on the back of YOUR SCOOT," Tèa shot back. "Hey, over there, is that a bus?"

"Yeah, looks like... I think it says something about 'College' on the side. Cool, maybe it's a charter."

"So, let's check it out. C'mon, Yuge." Joey shouldered his bags, then bent and picked up Yugi's duffle.

"Joey, I can carry that, honest!"

"Ah, don't worry about it. It don't weigh that much. You just worry about keeping up. Those little shortie chicken legs of yours, yanno." Joey cackled.

"What's WRONG with my legs!"

"Okay, Joey, cut it out," warned Tèa.

"Ah, you know I'm only teasin'. Ain't a best friend got pickin' rights, huh? Though, yanno..." he eyed Yugi. "I think you've grown an inch or two over th' summer, ain'tcha?"

"About that," Yugi admitted. "But I don't think it's going to be much more. Short runs in our family, Grandpa says."

"Doesn't matter." Tristan shrugged. "It's not how tall you are that makes you who you are."

"Maybe not, but I sure wish I didn't have to shop in the boys' section for clothes still."

"I think you're the perfect height, Yugi." Tèa put an arm around his shoulders and snuggled him to her side a moment.

"Yeah, perfect portable boyfriend," Joey murmured under his breath, then yelped and hopped off to one side as Tèa gave him a well-aimed kick in the ankle. "Shall we? she said sweetly as Joey tried to pull himself out of the shrubbery he'd careened into. "Oh, Joey, by the way, it's a fast game, you've got to keep up."

"Man, I bet she's here on a football scholarship," Joey muttered. "Hey, wait up! Wait f'r me!"

"Good morning," the bus driver said as they walked up. "Heading for JCC?"

"JCC?" Yugi asked.

"Jankenpon Community College. This is a charter for new and returning students. Hop on in if you need a lift."

"Great, thanks. Come on, everyone. --I call window side!"

As the bus drove through the streets of Jankenpon, all four studied the city. "Pretty place," Tristan said.

"Look, they have pedestrian trails. That's so cool!" Tèa all but pressed her nose to the glass. "Oh, a mall!"

"Down in flames," Joey remarked to no one in particular. "Sorry about dat, Yuge, I'm seein' her, you, an' a stack of boxes about a mile high in ya future."

"Oh, I don't mind. Maybe they have a game and model shop in the mall."

"Considering the fact this college actually offers a course in Dueling..." Tristan waved the course catalog around.

"What? Ya kiddin' me. How'd I miss dat?" Joey snatched the book from Tris and read through it. "You AIN'T kidding. heh Guess I know what YOU'RE here to study, huh, Yuge?"

"Actually..." Yugi ducked his head. "I wanted to study archaeology."

"Huhwha?"

"Archaeology," Tèa repeated. "You know, Joey, the scientific study of ancient civilizations?"

"I know what da word means! Jeez, I ain't a complete moron, yanno. It's just, I dunno, I never thought of my buddy here as another Indiana Jones or whatever."

"Well, Grandpa was an archaeologist, kind of. Especially when he was partners with Professor Hawkins. He told me some great stories about his travels. And I think I'd be pretty good at it. I love puzzles, after all, and having to piece together a broken pot or reconstruct a skeleton is SORT of like assembling a puzzle."

"Not to mention the fact that if you specialize in Egyptology you've already got a step up on most people," Tristan said quietly.

Yugi ducked his head. "Uh.. well, that's not the MAIN reason, no, but..." _Oh, shut up,_ he finished silently, hearing a ghostly voice chuckling.

_'Young one, I need to keep a closer eye on what you're up to sometimes, I think.' _In his mind's eye Yugi could see Yami tip his head, amused. _'That's three times you've outmanuvered me since we met. I'm slipping.'_

_Pharoah, you know I'm not trying to pull a fast one--_

_'Of course not. But it is VERY convenient that what you're interested in learning to be is something that both of us can relate to and take part in.'_

_Maybe it's just something we-- he-- the person we used to be-- might've taken an interest in?_

The Spirit blinked; looked thoughtful. _'That... is a point I'll have to consider. But it feels right. That we, he, the King that we were... that he was a man of learning, and wished to know more not only about his own civilizations but those that came before him... it does seem reasonable. Certainly we both share that desire now, to know more about ourselves, the world we live in, and our past. And I don't think it's only because I--' _he fell silent.

_Because sometimes you feel lost, not being able to remember. See, that's why I think we should go to Egypt someday. Your past is my past too, don't you see?_

Slowly Yami nodded. _'Very well, I admit that's a valid argument. But I still believe we need to concentrate on our lives now, not our life then. However, I will withdraw any objection to eventually-- eventually, mind you-- going to Egypt to see what we can discover for ourselves.' _A faint smile appeared on his features. _'You know, I am rarely prouder of you than when you show me you ARE capable of out-thinking me.'_

Yugi tried to keep the answering smile off his face and failed. _Thanks..._

"Earth ta Yugi. Ya in there? We're here, pal." Joey tapped Yugi's nose. "Check it out. Ya missed the river already."

"River?"

"Yep, we crossed a river." Tristan jerked his head out the window. "Like the Wheeler says, check it out."

The bus was pulled up in front of a complex of buildings set in a valley, almost flush to the face of a large hill (or small mountain). Numerous tiny parks and greens dotted the campus, lending it the appearance of simply having grown up among the trees rather than clearing the land to remove them.

"Oh..." Tèa clasped her hands, eyes wide. "THIS is the college? It's gorgeous!"

"Yes, miss," the driver said, pausing in handing out various pieces of luggage from the rack under the bus. "Almost got our own little town out here. There are a lot of storekeepers that set up shop right beside the college campus proper, and then we have non-dormitory housing too-- see the houses? Lots of the faculty lives here year-round, pretty much, and students can rent a house to live in if they prefer that. If you want anything fancy, you drive back into town, but it's only about a fifteen minute ride. Shuttles four times a day, at nine, twelve, three and six o'clock."

"Sweet," Joey said, taking a deep breath and letting it out gustily. "Ah, smell dat fresh air."

"And you would know fresh air how?" Tristan retorted. "The closest YOU ever got to being a nature boy was when we had to camp out on Duelist Kingdom Island."

"Ey ey ey ey! I was a Cub Scout!"

"CURB Scout, more like."

"Come on, Yugi," Tèa said, holding out a hand to him as the two boys wrestled on the ground behind her. "Let's go find out where we're supposed to get started."

Because it was fairly late in the day when they arrived, the reception lines weren't very crowded. All four were able to get their student ID's set up and given a quick explanation of where everything was. The next day would be registration, they were told, and it was recommended they arrive as early as possible to make sure the classes they wanted were still open. There would also be counselors available to help students work out curriculums.

"Too bad we're not gonna be staying in the same place," Tristan said. "Looks like Joey, Yugi and I will all be in the same dorm, but Tèa's halfway across campus."

"Darn." Tèa's face fell. "Well, I don't guess we could expect anything else... we did register awfully late. I bet all the co-ed dorms filled up first thing."

"Maybe we should look into one of those houses the driver told us about," Yugi suggested. "I mean, if it's campus housing, then the rent can't be that expensive. Students have to be able to afford it."

"Rich students, maybe," Tristan corrected him. "Living on campus in a dormitory is rent-free. If you want more deluxe living space, you have to pay for it yourself."

"Well, we can still find out, can't we?"

"Can't hurt." Tristan leaned over the counter, smiling at the receptionist. "Can you tell me where we can find out about renting a house off-campus?"

"Of course." The girl pointed to her right. "Third table down, where that white-haired boy is standing."

"Thanks."

"Is it just me talkin' here," Joey observed as they made their way over to the table indicated to them, "but does that guy kinda remind you of anyone?"

"He DOES sort of look like--" Tèa gasped as the young man ahead of them turned around. "Bakura!"

"Oh!" Bakura's eyes widened. "Good heavens! Tèa! Joey, Tristan, Yugi-- whatever are you doing here?"

"We're, ah, going to school here," Tristan said. "Or we will be starting tomorrow."

"You're joking! But that's wonderful, I'd no idea! This is just the thing." Bakura gestured behind him. "I started last quarter, and I was hoping this time around to get a house-- they were all taken when I came in before-- bit on the pricey side though, for one person. I don't suppose you'd all be agreeable to sharing one with me? I was just thinking I'd have to put an advert up for a roommate, or go through another quarter of some random footballer who leaves the place reeking of beer on the weekends."

"How much is it?"

"Four hundred, but that does include utilities and water. Phone's our responsibility, I fear, and groceries, though of course we can eat for free on-campus at the UC or the cafeteria. Don't really recommend a steady diet of it, though." Bakura gave a fastidious little shudder. "The Mystery Meat Thursdays are for the desperate only."

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "That's eighty bucks a pop to begin with. Figure another fifty, sixty a week for groceries, and the phone bill... say about a hundred and thirty at least a month from each of us."

"Can't get a place outside f'r that much by yourself in th' real world," Joey pointed out, "not unless you're livin' in a one-room box in th' dumps."

"Yeah, I heard that. I'm willing, if we can find one with enough rooms."

"There's a few three bedrooms left," Bakura said, "we lads can double up and leave the third room to Tèa."

"As long as I get first dibs on the bathroom," Tèa said. "And NO LEAVING THE SEAT UP."

"Then it's agreed." Bakura turned back around to the desk clerk. "Can we get moved in tonight?"

"I believe so," the young man said. "Which one were you interested in-- the one on Brook Lane, Green Street, or Gambler's Circle?"

Bakura smiled. "Oh, well, let's live a bit, I've always wanted to have a flashy address. Make it Gambler's Circle."

"Sure. If you'll fill out this paperwork... and I'll need the first month's rent in advance."

A moment's silence as everyone checked their funds, wondering if they could scrape up the cash--until Yugi hesitantly said, "Uh... I've got it."

"Say what?" Joey paused.

"I said, I've got it." Reaching into his backpack, Yugi pulled out a wallet. "Can you take a bank card?"

"Debit card? Yes."

"Whoa," Tristan said. "Yugi, sorry for asking, but since when did you have four hundred bucks to blow at a pop?"

The smaller boy hunched his shoulders a bit. "I..."

"It's all right," Tèa interrupted, "it doesn't matter where he got it (Tristan, that was RUDE, you know...)"

"No, no it's okay." Yugi looked round. "Battle City."

"Doh!" Joey slapped his forehead. "I shoulda remembered, just like Duelist Kingdom. It ain't like you're not th' King of Games."

"Yeah. Kaiba didn't make a big thing of it, but there WAS a cash prize included for winning. I wasn't in it for that, but I wound up getting a check for it about three months afterwards anyway. Grandpa opened a savings account for me with it." Yugi smiled. "It paid my tuition and left me plenty to get by on while I'm here at college. And I can't think of a better reason to spend some of it than getting us all a place to live in together."

"Well, we certainly owe you for that," Bakura said. "In that case, I insist that after we get moved in, you let me treat you all to dinner. There's this charming little Italian place with the absolutely best spaghetti I know of..."

"Italian? NOW you're talkin'." Joey grinned ear to ear.

As the other four started chattering among themselves, Bakura turned back towards the desk clerk. His expression shifted instantly to a far less innocent demeanor. _Very good, _he said silently. _Make sure the records are adjusted appropriately. I will attend to everything else._

The clerk, his eyes blank, nodded once in reply. Yami Bakura smirked. It was so easy to influence these fools with the help of the Millenium Ring. Later that night, he would slip out and 'visit' the various professors on campus, instilling vague memories of his presence in class. With this clerk entering false records in the school database, no one would ever know Ryou Bakura HADN'T entered college here last quarter.

_I will simply have to keep my guard up. The Pharoah might be able to feel my presence if I am too open about using the Ring. I haven't been in close enough contact with them these last few years to be sure what he has and hasn't remembered. But when I am... when I'm sure..._

_He's exactly where I want him. Living in the same house with me._


	2. Chapter 2

YU-GI-OH: The College Years

Arc One - The Different Story

By Yuugi Motoh

CHAPTER 2

"The terms are perfectly plain, Pegasus. Your company, Industrial Illusions, is supposed to be developing ongoing supplements for Duel Monsters, which KaibaCorp produces and markets. For the past four years, we've seen exactly nothing from you. No proofs, no work in progress, nothing. In the legal world, that's called breach of contract. How much more obvious do I have to make myself?"

"I think you're managing to talk up to my level quite nicely, Kaiba-boy," the voice at the other end of the phone drawled. Kaiba's eyes narrowed and he clenched the receiver a little tighter, keeping his temper in check. "But what do you expect ME to do about it, hm? I mean, if Industrial Illusions IS in default, you have the right at any time to terminate our business agreement."

"Or to sue you."

A moment's silence; then, "Well, yes, I suppose you could file a tacky little lawsuit or three, but that's still not going to get you what you really want, is it? You SAY you want more Duel Monster cards, but I know what you're after. You're looking for yet another way to get the best of Yugi Motoh." A deep chuckle. "It must be SO frustrating and disheartening to keep losing time after time to the same person--I'm sorry, did I say that aloud?"

"Save me your bogus sympathy. We both know you couldn't be happier to see Yugi Motoh continuing to pull the wool over everyone's eyes."

"My dear Kaiba, that's just it. The only one here with wool over their eyes is YOU. You're the one who refuses to admit that you're simply outclassed. Yugi Motoh is the better Duelist. He's beaten everyone he's taken on. You, me, Mai Valentine, Bandit Keith... some of the most prestigous names in Dueling, and none of us are in his league. If you want my advice--"

"What makes you think the advice of a washed-up has-been like you makes any difference to me? You haven't Dueled for the last two years, and the last time you played before that was when I came to your island. How long have YOU been out of the loop, Pegasus? Scared that you haven't got what it takes any more? Or was your reputation built on smoke and mirrors?"

"Oh, now that hurts."

"Like I care."

"Kaiba--" A sigh. "Kaiba, you really need to leave it alone."

There was something in those words that made Kaiba sit up a bit straighter. The lighthearted mockery was gone, and in its place was a solemn weariness he'd never heard in Pegasus's voice before. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that this drive of yours to beat little Yugi... I'm being nice and not calling it an obsession, but that's what it is, you know... it's futile. You cannot beat him. You simply can't do it. None of us can. We haven't got what it takes... well, no. It's not that. Let's say rather that we have what it takes to be great Duelists, but he has something more. Something none of us can hope to emulate or overcome, no matter what cars we put in our decks, no matter how many computer simulations we run or practice Duels we fight. Yugi Motoh is the King of Games. Accept that."

Kaiba snorted. "Don't tell me you buy into that whole 'Heart of the Cards' nonsense."

"Maybe I do. And maybe I'm completely insane to think that way. But my problems are scarcely your concern, are they? You're concerned with the only person you've ever been concerned with--yourself. Your reputation. You can't stand not being first in everything, and the fact that it's Yugi in particular just makes it worse. Because he's nothing like you'd expect. He's not in it for the glory. He's not in it for the money. He's not in it for the bragging rights. He plays because he believes in the Heart of the Cards. You can't measure that; you can't quantify it; you can't fit it into your neat little perception of the world.

"And you can't stand it. You're sure there's something more to it. You have to prove it to the world, so you can prove it to yourself. No one as nice, as innocent, as humble as Yugi Motoh could possibly ever best the great Seto Kaiba. Nice guys ALWAYS finish last. The good die young. There is no such things as heroes any more... or magic, come to that. There has to be something more to it. And you're right in one thing: there IS more to it. But you'll never be able to figure it out, or accept it if you do. So just leave it alone, Kaiba. Content yourself with being one of the most influential men on the planet. You'll sleep better at night."

"What do you know, Pegasus?" Kaiba leaned forward unconsciously, as if he were confronting Pegasus face to face. "What do you know? Answer me!"

"Things better left alone, Kaiba. You DON'T want to know. You've already had plenty of evidence laid out before you, and you've refused time and again to see it. Now you come to me for a solution? Fine, I'm giving you one. There isn't one. You cannot beat Yugi Motoh. You never will. Not when it counts. If I couldn't do it with the help of the Millenium Eye, what makes you think you stand a chance?"

"Again with that idiocy of yours! Listen, Pegasus, I don't know how you convinced Mokuba and I that you'd 'stolen our souls', as you put it, but--"

"KAIBA." Pegasus's voice was like a whipcrack, and it brought Seto up short. "I DID steal your souls. Whether or not you can admit it is no concern of mine. You want to know what it is I know about Yugi? Why not, if it gets you off my back. It's very simple. He's not alone."

Kaiba scowled. "What do you mean, 'not alone'? Do you mean he's getting some kind of help from outside? That's impossible. If there were some kind of signals or communication going on between him and his friends to help him cheat, we would've picked up on it long ago."

"I meant precisely what I said. He's not alone. You're not Dueling one person when you play Yugi Motoh. You're fighting TWO people. And one of them understands the mechanics of the Shadow Games intimately, in a way that was lost to the rest of the world five thousand years ago. The creatures of that realm respond to him as they will respond to no one else... because he is their King."

"What kind of crap is this? Are you suggesting Yugi's some kind of split personality?"

"Oh, it's much more than that. But you wouldn't believe me if I told you, so we'll just change the subject now. What ARE you going to do about our little card problem? I know you didn't call me up for a pleasant afternoon chat."

"Fine. I want your island."

"...Excuse me?"

"Duelist Kingdom Island. I want it."

"Oh, now really, Kaiba, that's going too far--"

"Is it? If I sue you and win, I can take it out from under you eventually with legal fees and court decisions. You may be rich, Pegasus, but you're not THAT rich. And I can be VERY patient when I have to be." Kaiba smirked, feeling himself back on more certain ground. "But I have a little deal for you. If you agree, we'll forget about the whole 'breach of contract' issue and I'll keep the contract with Industrial Illusions in force, whether or not you ever produce another supplement. That way, you can go right on earning those nice little commissions you receive on the sale of every pack of Duel Monsters cards. In addition, I'll even let you keep your little fairy-tale world intact."

"You drive a hard bargain, Kaiba-boy. What is it you want--before I agree."

"I want to make use of the island for a tournament. A recreation of Duelist Kingdom. But THIS time, things are going to go MY way."

"That's not possible at this time."

"Really? Got some pressing business to take care of? Settling out of court on someone else's lawsuits?"

"No, it's just that I--" Did Pegasus sound shaken, nervous? Kaiba pressed the reciever closer yet, trying to catch the least nuance. "This just isn't a good time. Maybe next year."

"No. Now. As soon as I can arrange it. I want my techs out there setting up within the week, and I'll be sending the invitations shortly after that."

"You can't do that." Almost a whisper. "Kaiba, it's not-- it's not safe here now."

"Oh please. Now you're descending into paranoia. How the mighty have fallen. Next thing you'll be telling me is that men in black suits are after you."

"I only wish they were."

"What?"

"Never mind." Another sigh. "And I suppose you don't want me anywhere nearby during this 'tournament' of yours."

"That is the general idea, yes. I don't want you interfering. And I know you Pegasus. If you think you have a chance to turn things in your favor, you'll do it in a heartbeat."

"...Very well. I accept. You have my permission to host a tournament on my island. But on your own head be it, Kaiba. I'll have my lawyers deliver a written version of our 'agreement' in the morning. I'm sure you don't take my word at anywhere near face value." The phone line went dead.

Miles away, Pegasus pushed the phone away from him and hid his face in his hands. _That fool, that unmitigated fool..._

_Where am I supposed to go?_

Standing, Pegasus paced over to the window, peered out at the lake near his castle home. His gaze really wasn't on the lake, however; it was searching the shadows of the forests around it instead. "Looks peaceful enough," he remarked aloud, and shivered. "Oh, but looks are so deceiving."

Something stirred under the table he'd just abandoned. A line of darkness poured across the floor to gather at Pegasus's feet and resolve itself into the crouching form of a large purple cartoon cat. The expression on the cat's face, though, was anything but cartoon-like. One hand reached up and delicately tugged at the man's sleeve. "Boss," a hoarse whisper sounded. "Boss, you okay?"

"No, Doppleganger, I am most assuredly not 'okay'." Pegasus glanced down at the creature. "Gather my things. Seal the gallery vaults. Then tell Croquet to dismiss the servants. They are all to go on an extended vacation at full pay. Him too. I want there to be no one here when the KaibaCorp technicians arrive. Perhaps... perhaps if they think I've left.. then..." he lifted a hand, let it fall. "Then nothing untoward will happen."

"Where're YOU going, Boss?"

"Me?" Pegasus smiled faintly. "To the depths of the earth."

"Mokuba."

"Hey, big bro. What's up?" Mokuba took off the headset and put it aside. "You... don't look so hot."

"Never mind me. Pegasus agreed."

"I'm not surprised. You kind of had him by the-- uh, you sort of had him over a barrel."

Kaiba smirked. "What kind of language is that for the Vice President of KaibaCorp?"

"The same kinda language the President and CEO uses in his office when he's really ticked off at someone."

"How many times have I told you not to tap my intercom?"

"This week?" Mokuba grinned, then sobered. "You're really going through with it then."

"Yes. Duelist Kingdom was the first tournament Yugi and I were involved in, though I wasn't actually an official participant. And I almost had him then, Mokuba. I think the psychological edge of returning to a situation where he was tested to the extreme will pay off in my favor. Besides, it's good for business. We haven't had a top-notch tournament since Battle City. About time. Any luck in tracking down the people I wanted?"

"Not really. Panik's no longer a registered Duelist. Neither are the Paradox Brothers--you know, that dueling team Pegasus used. I'm guessing they got so badly beaten they got out of the game."

"Typical. Dueling isn't for weaklings. Anything else?"

"Um... No one's heard of Bandit Keith since well before Battle City. I got a line on Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor, though, Mai Valentine too. Oh yeah, and that Mako guy, Mako Tsunami. They're all still Dueling, and I think they'd jump at the chance to compete, especially if we offered some really cool prizes."

"Two million dollars should be 'cool' enough for anyone. Duke Devlin? Espa Roba?"

"Devlin's semi-retired, he's running his gaming company more or less full time. We might coax him out though. Another shot at Yugi, blah blah blah. Espa's available, but he's in Europe right now on a Dueling tour. Depends on when you want the tournament to be held. Those Rare Hunter guys went pfft right after the Ishtar kid left. He's in the Middle East now, him and his sister both. She's the curator of the Cairo Museum, you know." Mokuba leaned back, snagged a clipboard, and riffled through the paper on it. "On the plus side, I got a line on some replacements for the missing Eliminators. They're pretty new in Dueling, just started last year, but they've been cleaning up in the minor tournament leagues. I think they'd work out."

"Names?"

"Uh, lessee... Junon Depardeu-- French, I think-- Amos Campbell, and here's a real treat for you. Diaz Russio."

"Russio." Kaiba frowned. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"He's a business owner out west. He's got some casino concerns in Las Vegas, but his big thing is a software development company. His company pitched ours a couple of years ago with a new networking program suite they developed. Nothing we needed at the time, but nice work. He's in the Fortune 500, just way down on the list. Heavy into ecology or something. 'New solutions for a new age' is the company policy, you tell me if that sounds kinda Greenpeace or what."

"Whatever. So he's a Duelist?"

"Yeah."

"All right. Get him and the other two lined up as our Eliminators. Have Public Relations start on the advertising and send a team out to the island to start setting up the remote LAN there. Deliver invitations to Valentine, Devlin, Tsunami, Raptor and Underwood. I'm going to assume Yugi's little bunch of friends will tag along, so we'll put Wheeler to use. Firing up his Duel Disk long enough to get beaten is about all he's worth. Oh, and the Hawkins girl, if she's still Dueling."

"Rebecca Hawkins? Hey, yeah, good call. I'll get on it. That's, mm... that's eleven people so far, eight if you discount the Eliminators."

"Why?" Kaiba smirked. "A shot at two million dollars should make them eager to win. Of course, we'll still pay them to get rid of as many of the OTHER contestants as we can, but there's no need to exclude them. And since this isn't a standard tournament, we don't need to worry about brackets. All it boils down to is who can gather ten Star Chips first, in order to enter the castle. Naturally, the first four to make it will compete against each other, the winners of those Duels against each other, and the final winner against me. But I expect it to be Yugi." He thought briefly. "We'll invite some of the local area Duelists also. The ones with the best standing. They'll make sure there are plenty of Star Chips to go around. I want everything to match the original Duelist Kingdom as closely as possible. In fact, forget the Duel Disks. We'll reactivate the outdoor Arenas on the island. They should still be in working order. Just upgrade the software and make sure I get a full linkup to each one, like last time."

"I'm on it, bro."

* * *

"Ooof... wheeze... Jeez, Tèa, how much further d'you want us to move dis thing?"

"Just a LITTLE more to the left... perfect!"

"Great." Joey collapsed against the arm of the overstuffed sofa. "Can I die now?"

"No way, man," Tristan groaned. "We've still got the armchairs and coffee table to bring in. AND the bed frames and mattresses."

"Oh, come on, you two, you're always saying what great shape you're in, showing off your muscles, but give you a little REAL work and you wimp out." Tèa jerked her head in the direction of the kitchen. "Look at Yugi, carrying in those boxes all by himself, and HE'S not complaining."

"Yeah, well, dere ain't no pieces of FURNITURE in'em either."

"No," Yugi panted, leaning on the doorjamb, "just pots and pans... LOTS of pots and pans.. and silverware.. and mugs... and glasses..."

"Honestly, you three!" Folding her arms, Tèa tapped her foot. "If you want to live in a house with no furnishings, eat cold food out of a can with your bare hands, and sleep on the floor, go right ahead. I want at least a few creature comforts."

"Living like cavemen is starting to have a certain appeal," Tristan muttered, then sat up. "Okay, okay, Tèa, you made your point. Just give us a second to catch our breath. We've been going non-stop all day. Shopping this morning, unpacking this afternoon... I'm bushed."

"We HAVE gotten an awful lot done in a short time," Bakura said. "How about we all stop for a bit of tea? And I made sandwiches."

"I'm good wi'dat." Joey snagged a couple of sandwiches off the tray Bakura was carrying and plopped down in the middle of the sofa. "Yanno, dis place is startin' to look like somebody lives here. I think I could get used to dis."

"It looked awfully bleak when we first got here, that's for sure." Yugi also took a sandwich. "Thanks, Bakura. --But it's really starting to look nice now. Joey's right."

"Of course," Tèa said, and preened. "I told you all we needed was a little cleanup and some furniture. Trust me, it takes a woman to appreciate the real potential of a house."

"Yeah? Well, where is she?" Joey grinned as Tèa glared. "Kiddin', just kiddin' Tèa."

"So, what's everyone majoring in?" Bakura perched himself gingerly atop a stack of boxes. "We've been so busy homemaking I hadn't thought to ask."

"Dance for me, modern dance," Tèa said. "Someday I want to be in a Broadway show." She clasped her hands, a bit starry-eyed. "Something really great, like 'Cats' or 'Chicago'."

"Don't laugh, but I, uh..." Tris scratched his head. "I want to be an architect. You know, the whole CADD thing-- virtual blueprints."

"Archaeology... but then everyone else kind of knew that already." Yugi smiled. "I guess that makes me the globetrotter of the bunch. How about you, Joey?"

"Uhhhh..."

"What, you don't have a major?" prodded Tris. "One of those 'undecided' for the next four years kind of people, huh?"

"No, no no, dat ain't it. I wanna..." Joey stared at his shoes. "I wanna be a policeman," he finished. "A detective, someday, but I know I gotta go through the ranks first."

"A policeman? Really?" Bakura tipped his head. "Sorry, Joey, but I never quite thought of you that way."

"Yeah, I know, but, see, my great-granddad, he was on da force in New York. So was my grandpa. My family's from there, yanno. Dad moved us to Domino after he and Mon split up. Said he wanted me ta grow up in a small town. I still got relatives up in Brooklyn, da Rotelli's. Grandpa changed his name to 'Wheeler' cause it sounded more American." Joey smiled. "I ain't seen my great-gramma in a long time. Hope she's still alive."

"Maybe we could take a train up there some weekend and find out," suggested Yugi. "I mean, even if she isn't alive, you must have cousins or something."

"Yeah... I might do dat. Course, you're all welcome t'tag along-- nothing a real Italian family likes better than lots of guests at da dinner table. And, oh man, da food at dat table!"

"How about you, Bakura?" Tèa asked. "What do you want to be?"

"I'm in Art Appreciation right now. I'm hoping to be a museum curator someday, actually. Or possibly an appraiser. I've rather a good eye for the worth of an object."

"Oh." Tèa repressed a little shiver. It all sounded perfectly natural, but... hadn't there been something in Bakura's tone, in the last sentence, that reminded her of something, someone else? _Nerves, _she decided. _I'm just keyed up, everyone is, we're all excited at being here and making it on our own for the first time. _"I hate to say it, but... that sounds kind of... dull. No offense..."

"Oh none taken! I do admit, it sounds a bit stuffy, doesn't it?" Bakura gave her a sweet smile. "But then, I'm not exactly what you'd call a real firebrand, am I? I like things plain and simple and quiet. I considered being a librarian, but that's a bit too staid even for me."

"How'd you ever manage to hang out with us, then?" Tristan joked.

"Even the plainest of us craves a little excitement now and again. Besides, you're my friends. Together through thick and thin, that sort of thing." The blond gave a little sigh. "And I must confess some of the time I... wasn't exactly in control."

"The Millenium Ring," Yugi said soberly.

"Yes... I'd no idea, when my father gave me that thing, how much trouble it'd bring. I am sincerely sorry about that."

"Where IS the Ring, anyway?"

"I've no good idea, to tell you the truth. It does worry me a bit. After waking up on Kaiba's airship at the end of Battle City, I haven't heard or seen a thing. I suppose the Ring, and the Spirit within it, are still about somewhere, but so long as it steers clear of me I'm content to let matters rest." Bakura shrugged apologetically. "I guess I SHOULD be more concerned, but I'm relieved to be rid of it, to tell you the truth. I'm not sure how you stand to have the Puzzle around, Yugi."

Yugi's hand automatically reached up and clasped around the chain suspending the Puzzle about his neck. "The Puzzle is... different," he said. "And so is the Spirit inside it. No matter how much trouble may come my way because of it, it's not the fault of either of them, item or Spirit. And I know he'd never leave me to face danger on my own."

"For a ghost he's a real stand-up kind of guy," agreed Tristan. "Not that I have a whole lot of experience with ghosts."

"He ain't just Yugi's friend." Joey looked around the room at the others solemnly. "He's OUR friend. And we're his friends. We stick by him same's as we'd stick by Yugi, cause he'd do da same f'r us."

"Amen, preacher," and Tristan gave Joey a high-five.

Yugi could feel a warm glow inside at those words, and he smiled. "Thanks," he said. "He-- we-- appreciate that a lot."

"No sweat." Tèa gave Yugi a thumbs-up, then got to her feet. "All right, guys, tea time's over. Back to work."

"So speaks the slavedriver," quipped Bakura. "Yes, mistress, right away, mistress, by your command, mis--umph!" He was cut short by a pillow lobbed (gently) at his head.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

By the middle of October things had settled into a routine. Chores were divided up in rotation, though by unanimous agreement Joey was forever barred from even looking at a pot or pan unless he was washing it. ("Didn't they used to call food like that cruel and unusual punishment?" Tristan had quipped the morning after Joey's one and only attempt at dinner.) The living room had become the primary gathering point, with one or more of the kids gathered around either Dueling, reading/studying, playing video games or watching TV at any given point depending on the day's class schedule. There was a small deck out back, and Tèa had adopted that as her outdoor dance studio, at least until winter made it too cold to practice. The room assignments had settled down to Yugi and Joey in the bedroom farthest from the stairs; Tristan and Bakura in the next; and Tèa in the one at the top of the stairs. Since the upstairs bath was across the hall from her room, that gave her the first bathroom rights she'd called almost by default.

There was even a "family pet", though no one had exactly gone out looking for it. The others simply came home that Wednesday to find Yugi in the living room, brushing the coat of an enormous and extremely ragged-looking tom of indeterminate color and origin. One eye was permanently closed by a scar, a memento of an old fight, and as they walked in the cat had greeted them all with a loud, gravelly "MOW."

"Holy cow!" Tristan pretended to flinch. "Quick, somebody call the circus, there's a lion about to eat Yugi."

"Either dat or dere's a new Duel Monster in town," Joey shot back. "Jeez, Yuge, if ya wanted a throw rug we coulda bought one."

"Come on, you two, he's just a cat!" Yugi paused in brushing to pet the cat, who responded by standing up on his hind legs and butting his head against Yugi's cheek.

"Are you SURE about that, Yugi?" Tèa circled him cautiously, peering at the animal. "That's the biggest cat I've ever seen."

"Mm, looks like a Maine coon cat," Bakura observed, kneeling to have a closer look. "Here, puss puss..." he held out a hand. The cat walked over, gave it a desultory sniff, rubbed against it once, then returned to Yugi and flopped down in front of him. A low bass rumble, obviously meant to be a purr, filled the air. "They're not actually related to raccoons, you know, that's just the name of the breed. They're supposed to be descended from the wildcats that Viking explorers brought over with them in their visits to the Americas." He studied his hand with a touch of distaste. "Ugh, he's covered in grease... or oil... or something."

"I think he was hiding under the car of the people next door," Yugi said. "I asked around, but no one in the neighborhood seems to know anything about him. Can we keep him? Please, can we?"

"I dunno, Yugi," Tristan said, "a cat's a lot of work... hey, I didn't know you liked cats."

"Oh sure, but Grandpa's a little allergic to them. Nothing serious, they just make him sneeze. I thought I'd comb the mats and stuff out of his hair before I gave him a bath."

"OH yeah, YOU give him da bath." Joey folded his arms and shook his head. "Yuge, I'd pay t'see that. That cat's gonna eat you alive if you get him NEAR a tubful of water."

"No he won't. Horus understands I'm only trying to help him."

"Horace?" Tèa looked puzzled.

"No, HORUS. Like the Egyptian god. The Eye of Horus is a mystic symbol, and since he's only got one eye--"

"I get it, I get it." Planting her hands on her hips, Tèa shook her head. "Well, if you really want to give him a bath, I could try to help, since no one else is volunteering."

Tristan reached out, shook Tèa's hand. "Nice knowing you."

To everyone's surprise, Horus not only tolerated the bath, he appeared to enjoy the entire experience, including being wrapped in a towel afterwards and held in Yugi's arms while he dried. "That cat," Joey pronounced, "ain't natural."

"Well, that's Yugi for you, he makes friends with everyone. You're a good kitty, aren't you?" Tèa scratched Horus under the chin and giggled as he nibbled at her fingers. "He's kind of cute, in a scrappy kind of way."

"Don't expect we've got any cat food about, but hang on." Bakura ducked into the kitchen, emerged shortly with a small plate on which he dumped most of the contents of a can of tuna. "We can get him something more appropriate tomorrow, but this should tide him over nicely for tonight. --Good heavens, look at him wolf it down. Size notwithstanding, I don't think he's had a decent meal in several days. Poor old chap..." The young man shook his head. "You'd think someone would've put a tag on him or something."

"We'll have to find a vet, Yugi, and make sure he's got all his shots and stuff." Tèa smiled. "Want me to go with you tomorrow once we find one?"

"Sure!" Yugi looked down at his 'passenger'. "How about it, Horus? You, me and Tèa."

The cat purred, then paused, head swiveling and eye widening. Yugi glanced up to see Yami kneeling nearby, watching the cat. _Pharoah... I think he can see you._

_'Of course he can.'_ Yami smiled a bit. _'Do you not remember? Cats are sacred beasts. They are the children of the goddess Bast, and they share her wisdom and love of mystery.' _He put out a hand, forgetting momentarily he wasn't in their shared body.

Horus responded, reaching out to bat at the fingers--

And for a moment, his paw rested atop Yami's knuckles, just as if the Spirit were solid.

_'Uh!' _Yami snatched back his hand, stared at the fingers. _'He--'_

_He touched you!_

_'Indeed.'_ Yami gave Horus another long, considering look. _'I believe, young one,' _he said at last, _'we would do well to keep this cat.'_

_It's not like I intended to toss him back out._ Yugi rubbed Horus's head. "You ARE special, aren't you?" he whispered in Horus's ear.

Horus only purred.

Across the room, Yami Bakura scowled. Of course he'd seen the Pharoah kneeling there, but the fact the CAT had, and had reacted to him... _That was unexpected. I will have to be even more careful. That is no ordinary feline. Set take it! As if I needed anyone or anything about that can see spirits._

_It is but a cat, though. I'm quite sure if it gets in my way, the creatures in my Deck can handle it _

_'No'_

Yami Bakura paused. _What...?_

_'Alone'_

_Who!_

_'Leave it alone!'_

Turning, the Spirit pressed his fingers to his temples, closed his eyes. _You-! What are you doing awake? Go back to sleep, little fool. This doesn't concern you. I am in charge here. This is MY body now. You are but an former tenant, soon to be forgotten._

A glimmer of light in a vast darkness; a stir of motion that might've been a form standing in the shadows; a faint, faint voice from far away answered him.

_'No I'm not. I'm still here. AND I WANT MY LIFE BACK!' _

Yami Bakura winced, caught off-guard by the momentary strength of that cry. The sense of Bakura was already fading, but--

But he never should've spoken to begin with.

"Bakura, are you all right?" a light hand on his shoulder. Yami Bakura barely managed to remember to school his features into a gentler expression before he turned. "I'm fine, Tèa," he answered. "Just a little twinge of a headache. I probably need to eat something-- I'm sure we could ALL stand a good meal."

"Yeah, I'm starving. What's for dinner?" Tristan sauntered towards the kitchen. "Heck with that, what's for snacks right now?"

"Honestly, do you think with your stomach or something?" Tèa shot in his direction, then turned back to Bakura. "You look kind of pale... why don't you sit down? I'll get something started."

"But it's my night to cook--"

"Shush. We'll trade, you can cook tomorrow, okay?" Tèa pointed at a chair. "Sit, or else I'll sit ON you to hold you still."

Yami Bakura did as he was told. Under the placid facade his mind was racing. _What is going on? Is... is the cat somehow responsible? Impossible. I sense nothing mystical about it._

_But it did see the Pharoah..._

_Enough. I'll worry about it later._

Meanwhile, Joey had wandered out to pick up the mail. "Lessee here... junk, junk, junk-- man, they don't waste any time sendin' ya dis kinda thing... coupons... whoa, wait a sec, hold da phone." He waved a slim cream-colored envelope. "Check it, it's from KaibaCorp."

"KmmaCrp?" Tristan asked, mouth half-full.

"Swallow before ya talk, Tris, ain'tcha got no manners? But yeah, KaibaCorp. Addressed to... hey. It's addressed to Yugi AND me. See? 'Mr. Yugi Motoh, Mr. Joseph Wheeler'. Ha! MISTER Joseph Wheeler. Looks like I finally got some respect!"

"So open it, MISTER Wheeler," Tèa said.

"Oh. Yeah. heh Right." Joey tore open the envelope and opened the letter. "Ahem. 'Mr. Seto Kaiba and KaibaCorp respectfully request,' yeah right, you can tell Kaiba din't write dis, it's too polite..." he trailed off, starting to frown as he read further.

"What's it say, Joey?" Yugi bounded to his feet (sending Horus tumbling off with a disgruntled yowl) and stretched out a hand. "Lemme see!"

"It's an invitation to a tournament," Joey said slowly, still holding the letter up out of Yugi's reach.

"And, so?" Tristan waved a hand in the air. "Like you never expected Kaiba to hold another tournament? Or more to the point, you never expected him to invite Yugi to participate?"

"Shh, Tristan." Tèa was looking at the expression on Joey's face. "Joey, what is it?"

"It's an invite..." Joey looked up. "To Duelist Kingdom."

Silence.

"SAY WHAT!" Tristan all but snatched the letter out of Joey's hand. "You're KIDDING me!"

"Nope." Joey's face hardened. "Looks like Kaiba's decided to re-do Pegasus's tournament."

"You ARE kidding... right?" Tèa anxiously scanned the letter Tristan was holding. "Oh my God... you're not kidding."

"Din't I just say dat? You think I'd kid around about something like dat?"

"I don't believe it." Tristan let his hand fall to his side, where Yugi could reach the letter. He promptly did, reading through it for himself. "Weekend of October 31st to November 2nd, Duelist Kingdom II, Destiny's Card... revisit the famous Duelist Kingdom for a Halloween tournament hosted by KaibaCorp..."

"We ain't going." Joey shook his head. "Nuh-uh, not playing that game. Dis is some kinda setup from the King of Rats. He's tryin' to get into your head, Yuge. Why else would he have a tournament on Pegasus's island? Let alone a re-do of dat particular tournament? I tell ya, dis stinks like last week's fish."

"Yeah, right," Tèa countered, "and you know what happens if you and Yugi don't show up, don't you? Kaiba gets to brag that you were too scared to attend his tournament, after you'd been personally invited."

"She's got a point, bro," Tristan agreed. "You know Kaiba will do it too."

"Think I ain't thought of dat? Like what Kaiba says makes any difference t'me? Listen, Yuge, yanno I'm right, don't'cha?"

"I hear you Joey," Yugi answered. "But..."

"Don't say it, don't say it--"

"But we have to go."

Joey groaned. "I TOLD ya not t'say it!"

"Kaiba won't give us any peace of mind until he knows for sure we'll be there. That's just the way he is. And if he has to chase us down, he will. That's ALSO the way he is." Yugi nodded once. "It's just better to go along. Besides, it might not be so bad. It isn't like we'll be facing Maximilian Pegasus and the Millenium Eye. This might actually be fun."

"Yeeesh." Joey ran a hand through his hair, then nodded. "Okay, pal, you got a point. (Lots of 'em, if you count your hair.) Hey, at least it's a free holiday weekend on an island. Says 'all expenses paid', so it's not like we gotta shell out for da trip."

"Speaking of Pegasus, I wonder if he'll be there." Tèa nibbled her lower lip. "I can't imagine him NOT being there, it's his island after all. His castle, too."

"If he is, we'll deal. He was okay last time we met up with him, though. Helped pull our butts out of the fire, remember? He had his act together better than Kaiba did." Tristan pounded a fist lightly into the opposite palm. "Man! I've got a bad feeling about this, but Yugi's right; there's no way to back out."

_A tournament on Duelist Island... interesting._ Yami Bakura smirked. _This might be an opportunity to claim the Millenium Puzzle for myself, if I... play my cards right, so to speak. Even if I do not win the tournament itself, Yugi and the Pharoah will be exhausted after their Duels. It could be the perfect time to ambush them. I think I will accompany our happy group to the island, even if I'm not invited. _"Yugi, that 'all expenses paid' thing... does it include just the two of you, or are you allowed to bring guests?"

Yugi re-read the invitation. "Let me see-- 'up to two guests apiece'. That means we can all go!"

"Suddenly I'm feeling better about Seto Kaiba," Tristan said. "Not a whole LOT better, but a little."

"Marvelous! It really WILL be just like the original Duelist Kingdom."

_'Why do I fail to find that reassuring?'_

Yugi closed his eyes, the world fading out around him as his consciousness turned inward. "You don't like this any more than Joey does."

_'No, I do not.'_ Yami folded his arms. _'Kaiba, returning to the scene of his humiliation at the hands of Pegasus? Perhaps he wishes to turn back time and have it go his way, but he should know better. And it IS the only time--'_

"The only time he beat us."

_'Indeed. Though he cheated to do it.' _The barest flicker of golden light on Yami's forehead as the Millenium Eye symbol flared there briefly. _'And almost drove us apart forever.'_

'He was desperate. You can't blame him, he was only trying to save Mokuba's soul."

_'And you were trying to save your grandfather. If Kaiba had simply told us what was going on, his brother still would've been saved. His arrogance, his pride and his desire to humiliate us drove him to that confrontation, nothing more.'_

Yugi scowled. "I don't agree, but it's no use to argue about it now; the important part is, we DID go on to defeat Pegasus and save everyone. And... sorry, but it's not like you have a right to complain about arrogance or pride."

Yami stared across hard at Yugi, then lowered his head. _'You're right. Pride and overconfidence ARE something I must keep control of, just as Kaiba should control his. The point is moot in any event; we're going. That much is certain. But I think we should be on our guard.'_

"You bet. No disagreement there." Yugi put out a hand, resting it on Yami's arm. "Just remember, we can face anything--"

_'As long as we work together,' _finished Yami.

"Brrr!" Tèa rubbed her arms through the sleeves of her jacket. "I don't remember it being this cold last time."

"We were here in the middle of summer last time," Tristan pointed out. "And we're right on the water too. It'll probably be a little warmer inland."

"I hope so, or I'm going to be a Tèa-sicle before tomorrow morning."

Yugi turned towards one of the personnel at the dock. "Excuse me, where do we go from here?"

"The tent at the end of the dock is registration," the man answered. "You'll be receiving your Star Chips and Dueling Glove there. Just as in the original Duelist Kingdom, you must win ten chips to unlock the castle and enter the final phase of the competition. In deference to the time of year, we do have shelters set up and clearly marked across the island. Those shelters are considered neutral territory and no challenges can be made within fifty yards of a shelter. You'll also need these." Carefully the KaibaCorp representative clasped a thin bracelet shut around the wrist of each person. "Those have tracking transponders so that in case of emergency you can be located. We have a full medical and rescue team on call around the clock. You'll find basic camping supplies and provisions cached at each shelter."

"Sounds like Kaiba thought of everything," Tristan muttered to Joey. "Anybody that tries to claim they were lost or hurt and couldn't compete is short on luck."

"Yeah," Joey whispered back. "Nice change from last time, ya remember? When Keith tried to trap us in dat cave?"

"I wouldn't be willing to bet there still won't be cheating going on."

"Me either. Keep ya eyes open."

"Got it."

As the group of friends walked towards the tent, a pair of figures emerged, stopped to look their way. "Well, well," one of the duo said, sneering, "look who we have here."

"Hey, if it isn't Weevil Underpants," Joey said, waving. "How ya dooin'."

"That's UnderWOOD, you cretin!" Weevil snarled, shaking a fist.

"Whatever." Joey smirked. "An' here I thought you and Rex Rafter had enough of us last time we metcha."

"RAPTOR, it's RAPTOR," Rex corrected with a scowl. "But I suppose I couldn't hope a moron like you would remember that."

"Watch it, Raptor, you ain't gained dat much height on me. I can still whip ya in or out of a Duel."

"Guys, please," Yugi said, interposing himself. "We're here for a tournament."

"Why, yes, Yugi, you're right, and may the best man win." Weevil held out his hand to shake Yugi's, then snatched it back at the last second. "Which of course will be ME."

"Same old Weevil. Won't you EVER grow up?" Tèa gave him a little frown.

"Don' worry, Tèa, by da time Yuge an' I are through with these guys, they'll be runnin' all the way back ta kindergarten where they belong." Joey clapped Yugi on the back. "C'mon, Yuge, let's get registered. --Catch ya later, Dumb an' Dumber."

"You'll be eating those words before this is over, Wheeler!" Weevil shouted after them fiercely.

"Yeah? Good thing I brought plenty of ketchup."

By the time all the registration forms were filled out, it was dark. Another of the KaibaCorp personnel directed them to a shelter up one of the forest paths and told them to expect the tournament proper to begin in the morning, once the last-minute arrivals were on the island and checked in.

The shelter wasn't much--barely more than a pre-fab shack--but it had a heater and lights, and the cots promised at least a modicum of comfort. Everyone picked out a place to sleep and sttled in, eventually drifting off.

All but one.

Yugi lay awake, staring up at the ceiling. From one side of the room he could hear Joey snoring as usual. _You'd think that would help me sleep, I'm so used to it, _he thought. Finally unable to lie still any more, he sat up and pulled on his sneakers silently, scribbling a hasty note that he pinned to his pillow: 'Gone for a little walk. Couldn't sleep' and noted the time at the bottom so anyone that woke up and looked for him would know when he left and not think he'd been gone for hours.

It wasn't as if he was wandering off all by himself, of course. And he fully expected that just as soon as a particular someone noticed he wasn't asleep any more, he'd have more than just his shadow along on his midnight ramblings.

He'd barely entered the woods before he heard the voice._ 'Yugi?' _

"Hi."

_'What are you doing awake? It must be very early...'_ the semi-transparent form walking beside him turned to study the stars. _'About... two or three in the morning early.' _

"Wow..."

_'Wow what?'_

"You. I mean, telling time by the stars?"

_'The constellations haven't shifted that much, even in five thousand years. True, these aren't the ones I'm used to, but it must have been a part of my studies to be familiar with the skies as we knew them. I do recognize a few of these, and I know the hours they stand at certain positions in the sky. From there it's just a matter of adjusting for being in different places.' _Yami gestured at Yugi's wrist._ 'I can't be accurate to the exact hour and minute, as you can, but I can feel sure of the general ti--.' _The Spirit stopped. _'Yugi... someone is watching us.'_

"What? Where?" Yugi turned, glancing around. "Somebody there?"

The brush rustled slightly and a form stepped out. "Uh, hiya," a husky, nasal voice said. "Sorry, I was taking a walk, got a little lost... can you tell me where Shelter #2 is?"

"Sorry, I'm not sure. I think we're staying in Shelter #1, though, so #2 can't be far away."

"Thanks. Heyyyyy... wait a sec, you're Yugi Motoh, aren't you?"

Yugi tried not to cringe. "Yeah..."

"Too wild!" The stranger grabbed Yugi's hand and pumped it heartily. "My name's Buzz, Buzz Berkley. Actually it's 'Busby', but who wants to get saddled with a name like that? What can I say, blame it on my dad." The young man let go and thrust a thumb at the bill of his baseball cap, letting the moonlight reveal a happy-go-lucky grin and bright green eyes with a single lock of deep purple hair falling across his forehead. "You know you're my hero, right? I figured, 'hey, if a kid as young as Yugi Motoh can be a champion, why can't I?' Right?"

"Uh, sure..." Yugi fidgeted, hoping the other boy wasn't about to ask for an autograph.

"That's the spirit." Buzz gave him a double thumbs-up and a wink. "Well, listen, you really need your sleep, big day tomorrow, me too. Good luck. Oh, and listen, there are some pretty wild guys on the island, I saw a few of 'em earlier when I was getting signed in, three in particular. Better keep your guard up. And don't let those God Cards outta your hand, no matter what, m'kay?"

Not knowing what else to say, Yugi simply nodded once. With a wave Buzz plunged off into the woods, a cheery whistle fading in the dark to mark his passage.

"What was THAT about?"

_'Too obvious was what it was.'_ Yami's eyes narrowed. _'There is something... no. I can't be sure.' He shook his head. The advice is sound, though. For that perhaps we will thank this 'Buzz' later. Now.' _Yami folded his arms and did his very best to look stern, though he found it inordinately difficult when he was looking into Yugi's face. _'You need your rest to think clearly. Must I carry you back to camp and stuff you into your bedding by force, or will you submit with grace?' _

The younger boy giggled, imagining the spectacle of the others waking up to find him stuffed head-first under his blanket with an invisible force sitting atop him, holding him down. "Ok, ok! I'll be good."

_'Mm." _Yami nodded once.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

"Look over there," Tristan said, shading his eyes with one hand and pointing. "Up that way. Isn't that the place where Kaiba showed up and did that thing with his prototype Duel Disk?"

"You HAD t'remind me of that." Joey glowered.

"Better remember that little lesson if you make it to the finals. Kaiba's nobody to mess around with."

"Yeah? Well, neither is Joey Wheeler."

"You sure you're up to competing, Bakura?" Yugi asked. "You haven't Dueled for years now."

"Oh, I think I'll manage." The white-haired boy gave Yugi a little nod. "And, if I do get knocked out, at least I can say I was here."

"There are worse ways to get back into Dueling, for sure." Tèa patted Bakura's arm encouragingly. "I'm glad to see you haven't been, you know... soured on it or something."

"True enough, that. But no, I do like Dueling every bit as much as I ever did. Which isn't to say that I'm in Joey's or Yugi's league."

"As long as you believe in the Heart of the Cards, they'll see you through." Yugi smiled up at Bakura. "I'm sure you'll do great. Just play your best."

"Trust me, I mean to give it everything I've got." _And take everything you have, Pharoah. _"Oh oh-- do you hear what I hear?"

"What-- wait a sec." Tristan tipped his head. "Sounds like somebody's Dueling! C'mon, I think it's over this way." He plunged off onto a smaller trail that led to the left of the main path they were on. "OUCH! --Uh, watch out for low lying branches..."

"Typical." Tèa rolled her eyes. "Jump first, ask questions later."

The group emerged in a small meadow, in the center of which rested one of the old-style Dueling Arenas. True enough, there were two people on the platforms, facing each other across the holographic field. One of them was Weevil Underwood. The other made Joey's face light up at once. "Hey! Mai, look, everybody, it's Mai Valentine!"

The blonde woman on the platform nearest them started slightly, then glanced sideways, eyes widening for just a second. "Joey..?" she murmured under her breath. Quickly the flash of surprise (and a touch of delight) faded from her face, covered by a teasing smirk. "Looks like they let you out of the zoo, huh, Brooklyn?" she called. "How about a little quiet for the lady? I'm just about to win here."

"Ha, that's what YOU think!" Weevil crowed from the other side. "It's the third turn! Here comes my Great Moth!"

Mai stifled a yawn. "Is THAT all you've got?"

"You won't be saying that when my Great Moth turns your puny Harpie Ladies into crushed canaries! Now, my beautiful insect, ATTACK her face-down card and remove her defenses!"

"Hold the phone, Underwood. Didn't your mother ever teach you to look before you leap? That face-down card is a little trick I picked up from a REAL winner." Mai tipped a wink in Yugi's direction. "It's called Wall of Illusion. When it's attacked the creature hitting it goes back into its owner's hand. You may have destroyed the Wall, but your Moth gets bounced off the field till your next turn, saving MY Harpie Ladies for an encore." Mai tapped another card. "And it's a real hot number I like to call Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation."

"Wha-what? Oh NO!"

"Oh yes. Now read'em and weep! Harpie Ladies, GO!"

"All right MAI!" Joey cheered as Weevil's remaining life points vanished.

"Way to go, Mai!" Tèa jumped up and down, clapping.

"And that's all folks," Mai said, tossing her hair back idly. "All right, Weevil, pony up those Star Chips."

"GRRRR... Fine! Take them." Weevil slapped two Star Chips down on his game panel and stalked off, muttering.

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend," Mai commented, walking around to scoop up the stars and socket them into her wristband, "but this month's fashion statement is DEFINITELY stars."

"Wow, Mai, that was terrific," Yugi said as the five friends clustered around her. "And it's great to see you again."

"Thanks, Yugi." Mai favored the boy with a smile and a brief touseling of his multicolored hair. "I kind of hoped I'd see you here. You too Joey."

"Did ya think for a second I'd miss a tournament like this one?"

"To be honest, I thought about giving it a miss." Mai rested a hand on her hip and gestured around with the other. "I mean, everyone knows a sequel is never as good as the original. Frankly, I wondered if Kaiba was running out of ideas. But so far I'm enjoying myself."

"Four chips already," Tristan observed. "Busy morning?"

"Slow morning. Weevil was my first Duel. The little snert must've beaten someone else before I ran into him though, since he had two chips to bet." Mai looked around. "I don't suppose... you'd be willing to let me walk along with you for a little while."

"Huh?" Yugi looked confused. "Of course we'd be willing. Why do you ask?"

Mai looked uncomfortable, but she squared her shoulders and looked Yugi straight in the eye. "I need to talk to you about Battle City. You AND Joey."

The two young men exchanged glances; then Joey nodded at Mai. "Sure thing, Mai."

As she fell into step beside them, Mai nibbled her lip lightly, trying to sort out the questions which'd been on her mind for two years. Eventually she said, "I... suppose I'd better start with 'thanks'. I'm guessing you guys saved my life at some point, though a lot of what happened... I needed time to think things through. I didn't understand what happened to me. I was... a little shaken."

Joey wisely didn't comment on that, guessing from the admission that Mai had probably been more than just 'a little shaken'. Instead he said, "Yeah, figured you'd see us around. Not like it's t'find Yuge, here, just look for the light reflectin' off his hair at night."

"You know, I used to feel a lot like Kaiba. I mean, this whole 'Heart of the Cards' thing. Maybe I could understand it better-- woman's intuition, that sort of thing-- and maybe I realized there must be something else working for you two. It's not just skill; it's not just luck, though YOU--" she punched Joey lightly on the arm-- "have GOT to have the best luck I've ever seen. How many four-leaf clovers do you roll in before a Duel, anyway?"

"Rabbit's feet, strictly rabbit's feet. Clover gives me da hives."

"I'll remember that." Mai gave Joey a sideways look and a smile. "Anyway... I guess.. the biggest question I've got isn't for you, Joey. It's for Yugi."

"Go ahead, Mai, if I can answer it I will."

"Who..." Mai started, stopped, swallowed, then started again. "Who was that that jumped up and shielded Joey and me? When Marik had that, whatever, that thing he called a God-Monster, fire at us... that wasn't any special effect, was it?" Her voice dropped to a ragged whisper. "I saw his eyes-- his face-- over Joey's shoulder. You'd never look like that. You never could. I'm not saying... I'm not trying to run you down. You know I respect you. You're one of the best Duelists I know, and you're probably one of the nicest human beings on the face of the planet, and rotten human beings is something I AM an expert on. You're so far from qualifying for 'rotten' that sometimes I don't believe you're REAL... but that doesn't change the fact that wasn't you that protected us."

Yugi put a hand to the Millenium Puzzle, the cool metal against his palm reassuring. "You're sort of right, Mai," he answered. "I was there... but so was somebody else." He heaved a sigh. "It's hard to explain, and it might be ever harder to believe, but... if you trust me, like you say you do, then trust this. Everything that I'm about to tell you is the truth.

"I'm not alone. When I Duel-- every time since I started Dueling in the tournaments, from Duelist Kingdom on-- I haven't been Dueling alone. There's someone that helps me. Someone that... lives INSIDE me. Through the magic of the Millenium Puzzle, two souls share one body. The person you saw that day at Battle City, and the person that you've seen Dueling, isn't me. I'm there, with him, and we share everything, we work together. But he's not me. At first he called himself 'Yami' because he didn't remember his name, but we found out later he's really the spirit of a five-thousand year old Pharoah." _I think that's enough to tell her for right now,_ he added silently to the other presence in his mind. _I'm not sure she's ready to deal with the part that you and I were once ONE soul that got divided into two halves._

_'No,' _Yami agreed. _'It's a rather intricate metaphysical concept, and this world isn't much on metaphysics, from what I've seen. There is also the point that I'm not sure to this day that the person who told us that spoke the truth. Still...' _Yami gazed off into the distance thoughtfully. _'It answers so much, and it feels so right, that I am inclined to accept it without question, though I'm at a loss for what could have so utterly divided us that the division is to all intents and purposes permanent. We can unite our spirits for short periods, such as when we Duel, but we appear to be complete individuals on our own.'_

_You're making my head hurt on one side._

A deep chuckle. _'Sorry.'_

"A... Pharoah," Mai said, staring at Yugi. "Okay, if it was anyone else, I'd be calling the men in the white wagon. What you're saying is there's some kind of ghost living in you? Possession or something?"

"Kind of," Yugi agreed. "He doesn't just take me over or push me out of the way. I don't GO anywhere. It's more like we're in synchronization." The boy shook his head. "I can't describe it any better than that. It's not something I really CAN describe. I'm there, but I'm not. He's here, but he isn't. It's both of us and... neither of us. We share everything."

"The victories, the losses..." Mai hesitantly reached out, touched Yugi on the shoulder. "The dangers...?"

"Yeah. What happens to him happens to me, and vice-versa. He worries about that sometimes."

"So you felt it when that fire, beam, whatever hit him."

Yugi looked down. "He tried not to let it come through," he admitted. "He tried to protect me from feeling it, as much as he could. But yeah. I was there, and I felt it." He looked up again at Mai, violet eyes pleading for her understanding. "Mai, he's my friend; he's my partner. I trust him with my life and my soul. I know he'll never let me down. You can trust him too. He knows who his friends are. A lot of them are standing right here."

"Well." Mai blew a strand of hair back from her eyes. "Only one thing left then."

"What's that?"

"Show me." Mai stopped, propped her fists on her hips, and gave Yugi a saucy grin. "Remember me, Mai Valentine? I take a lot of convincing. I believe YOU belive what you're telling me, but I want to see it for myself."

"That's fair," Tristan agreed.

"Dis is gonna be good," Joey whispered to Tèa.

_That's your cue, partner._ Yugi closed his eyes and dropped his hands out to his side, feeling the rush of power fill him. A second's dizzying rush of light and sound (_does anyone else see that or feel it, _he wondered for the hundredth time) and then the world steadied, though it all looked and felt different--

Because he wasn't quite himself any more.

Yami opened his eyes, casually tucking a hand in the front pocket of his jeans, and nodded to Mai. "Good morning, Mai."

Mai scowled, gaze meeting Yami's measuringly; then she gasped a little, startled. "Oh.. my..." One hand drifted up to press fingers lightly to her lips. "You--" she faltered, fell silent.

"Dis is da Pharoah," Joey said, looping an arm over Yami's shoulders. "Mai, Pharoah. Pharoah, Mai. Yer supposed to say 'pleased t'meetcha, Ya Majesty' at dis point, Mai."

"That is scarcely necessary, Joey. Mai and I have already met, several times."

"Yeah, but DIS time she knows it's you."

Mai drifted a step closer. "You're-- are you TALLER? Or am I just seeing things?"

"No; you're not seeing things. I am taller than Yugi, and older, at least in appearance. As far as we can tell the magic of the Millenium Puzzle makes most people overlook that fact. They simply think Yugi 'looks taller on TV' or something, if they notice it at all. Very few people ever learn to tell the difference between us, and those that do are usually either very familiar with us both, or actively looking for the change."

"Your voice is different," mused Mai. "More... sure of yourself. WELL." She laughed lightly. "Either you're a split personality, or I'm not as crazy as I thought I was. And considering the fact you're still Dueling, I'll go with the second explanation. I don't think Seto Kaiba would be inviting mental patients to his tournaments. Sorry if that sounds insulting," she added.

"No insult taken. I'm relieved you are willing to accept our explanation of the facts, when it would be more sensible to believe I am but a splinter of Yugi's mind."

"Some of the things I saw... lived through... at Battle City..." Mai shut her eyes tightly, then opened them. "Let's just say it was a near-religious experience. It made me question the way I look at the world. But what finally decided me was all of you." She gestured around at Tèa, Joey, Bakura and Tristan. "You've known Yugi for years. If anything was seriously off-kilter, I don't think you'd be as calm and collected about it as you are. They seem to be buying into all of this Egyptian stuff. Must be some truth in it."

"Now if we just get KAIBA to do the same thing," Tèa said. "He's still on the 'don't give me that, there is no such thing as magic' kick, and he's constantly putting Yugi down about it."

Mai made a face. "Did you ever expect anything else? Kaiba's never comfortable until he can analyze, label, and file everything."

"Indeed. I fear someday his logic will turn on him, like a tiger that has had enough and lashes out at its trainer. I would not wish to be him when that happens." Yami gestured. "Shall we continue? The rest of us need to find Duels, if we are to present you proper competition, Mai."

"Spoken like a true champion." Mai turned Joey's way. "By the way, that 'thanks' earlier was to both of you."

"Hey, ya don't... I mean... aw, Mai." Joey fidgeted. "Like I'd run out on ya when you needed me. I ain't never forgotten what ya did for me an' Serenity at da first Duelist Kingdom. Ya know... any time ya need me... I'm gonna be dere for ya. You're one special lady."

"Hmm." Mai smiled again, lowering her lashes, and patted his cheek. "Thanks for noticing."

"Well, we're mo-oo-vin' on up, to the east side, to a dee-luxe apartment in the sky-yiy-yiy..." the six foot purple feline crooned as it moved rapidly back and forth, stuffing things into a pair of large steamer trunks. Somehow, even though it appeared to be totally at random, the objects packed (be they books, clothes, or whatever) were neatly folded, stacked, or otherwise arranged to make the best use of the space inside their containers.

But then, where Doppleganger was concerned, anything worth doing was worth doing very, very well. It was in his nature. He could become any card on the field in a Duel, and by extension he could assume not just the appearance of anything he wanted to, he could take on something of its personality and talents as well, enough to be indistinguishable from the item or being copied. For a time at least. Since he couldn't duplicate memories or knowledge, sooner or later he would betray himself if he tried to duplicate someone well known.

Pausing, the Duel Monster looked back over one shoulder towards the living room, ears swiveling to catch any sound. As far as he could tell his master hadn't budged. The slightly goofy expression he habitually wore faded, replaced by a more serious one. Closing the trunks, he slung them over his back and glided out of the bedroom, stacking the trunks near the door. It would be a little sad to leave. At least as much as a creature like himself thought of (or needed) somewhere to dwell other than the Shadow Realm, he liked the castle, thought of it as his home. Poking his head into the living room, he said softly, "Boss?"

The man on the divan turned his head slightly. "Yes, Doppleganger."

"Y'r all packed. At least the stuff you said you couldn't do without. When are we leaving?"

"Not just yet."

Doppleganger came all the way into the room in a single step, flowing effortlessly, like the cartoon figure he resembled. "You sure we oughta be hanging around? I thought you were planning to split this scene."

"Yes, yes, I know." Pegasus raised one slender hand. "But not yet, my friend. We're not leaving just yet." He fell silent, fingertips resting gently on his forehead.

"How come?"

"...Oh, no reason really... except I seem to be suffering from an acute bout of chivalry. Dangerous thing for a man in my position, really, but there you are. I've always been SO prone to the theatrical." One weary brown eye glanced up at Doppleganger. "Go up into the tower and bring me my deck."

Doppleganger's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates (literally). "Your deck? But, boss-- you haven't Dueled in almost three years. Not since Kaiba was last here, and you can't call that a Duel--"

"I haven't REALLY Dueled since I lost Duelist Kingdom. I'm quite aware of that. But nonetheless, go and fetch my deck." Pegasus stood slowly. The past years had been hard on him-- recovering not just from the trauma of having the Millenium Eye forceably removed, but the infinitely slow knitting together of his overstrained reason into something approaching sanity again. But if the body was weak, at least he'd held onto his strength of will, and that would just have to do. "We're not leaving until we make sure those children are all right. They're good Duelists, all of them, and in some cases more than merely good. But only two of them have any real experience playing a Shadow Game, and if things go the way I believe they might..."

"Boss..." Worried now. "Boss, you're not up to that."

"Up to it or not, if circumstances call for it, I will. My past is irretrievable, dear friend. Nothing can change it or make away with the things I did. But I simply can't walk away from this." Pegasus chuckled in the back of his throat. "Imagine, me, a shining knight riding to the rescue. Let's hope it just doesn't come to that, hmm? Now, be off with you. Shoo shoo shoo."

Doppleganger bowed low and scuttered across the floor, flowing through the crack under the door and disappearing. Pegasus turned, looking once more over the familar sights of his bedroom, which for all he knew might be one of the last things he ever saw. _My castle... my sanctum._

_My hiding place. Hiding from the world and from myself. This isn't forgiveness, there is no forgiveness for me, no undoing what I did. Reasons or not, it was my own choice to steal souls, to trick an innocent boy into coming here, and force him to compete in order to claim the ancient item he held. But...atonement, perhaps. Some attempt at balancing the evil I did and would have done. One can do worse than die in search of that. And if I die, well. It might save one of Yugi's friends the trouble._ A faint smirk crossed his face. _Though I SO should've liked to've seen Kaiba's face when I finally returned to the public limelight. _

He turned and walked towards his bedroom, already turning over in his mind what to wear. After all, he was Maximilian Pegasus.

If he was going out (in all senses of the word) then by all means, he meant to do it with STYLE.

The path they'd chosen at random led roughly westward, winding through a light forest that anywhere else would've seemed perfect for an early morning walk. Here and there golden lances of sunlight came through the canopy to dance over the ground, and birds twittered and chirruped at the little group of Duelists, not quite as shy of people as their wilder kindred elsewhere. Yugi looked up, following their flight, and spied a fat grey squirrel watching him with lively interest. _Any other time, I'd be out here offering him a boiled peanut, and I bet he'd take it. This island is really peaceful and quiet. I guess I can kind of see why Pegasus loves it so much. It's what we're having to do that spoils the place. Any other time, any other tournament... _he shook his head a bit. _Ok. Focus. I've got to be on my game in a big way. We all do. _He reached out with one translucent hand and had it taken. No words; none needed. Just knowing Yami was there calmed him. _Soon as this is over, we're going right back to the search, _he promised himself. _We're going to find all the answers this time. I'll find a way to get us over to Egypt. Heck, if nothing else, if I win this tournament I'll be able to afford the plane trip for us all to go, and Ishizu might be able to help us once we're there. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. I just get this feeling that more than ever I need to understand what happened to the Pharoah._

"There ought to be a Dueling Arena just up ahead," Mai pointed out. "We might want to take a break there and see if anyone else shows up."

"Sounds great to me." Tèa paused a second to tug up a sock. "I mean, wandering around in the woods is all well and great, but it's going to be hard to find other Duelists this way. I didn't see that many other people at the registration tent last night."

"I think they were arriving all day yesterday, but you're right. There aren't as many Duelists this time around."

"Kaiba's stacking the deck in his favor, if you think about it," Tristan pointed out. "If there aren't that many people, then he can be pretty sure none of the people he REALLY wants to get into the castle will have that hard a time. He doesn't have to worry about anyone being wa--" he stopped. "Looks like you got your wish, Joe. Check it. Someone's got the place camped out already."

"All right!" Joey crowed. "Three of 'em. That's one apiece."

"Hey, who says I'll let you have all the fun?" Mai teased. "Don't give me puppy eyes. I'll be generous and sit this one out."

There were three boys sittiing around the top of the arena platform, and of them the redhead was first to notice the newcomers. He stood and shaded his eyes with one hand, peering that way, then nudged his friends to their feet. "Whoo, 'bout time!" he said, leaping off the edge of the arena. "Competition! Mah butt was fixin' to rust solid to that thing if I had to sit much longer." When he got closer he stopped, striking a cocky little pose. "How do, gents n' ladies. You folks lookin' for a Duel or two?"

"Amos," the second of the trio murmured. "Maintain."

"Shoot." The redhead slapped his forehead. "You got th' right of that, Diaz, forgot my manners. Amos Campbell's th' name. That there's Diaz, an' th' tall fella don't talk a whole lot is Junon. He's French, his 'Merican's a mite on the poorly side," he confided.

"A pleasure." Diaz nodded. "Although he's a bit on the excitable side, Amos is right, we have been here some small while. I hope you wouldn't mind a challange."

"Mind? Heck, we LIVE for dis stuff! Joey Wheeler at'cha service." Joey shook Amos's hand. "I'll be happy to relieve ya of a couple of Star Chips before lunch."

"Shucks, son, don't count 'em before you got 'em," Amos shot back, "I don't aim to roll over and let you walk off with them."

"Dat's da kinda spirit I like t'hear." Joey pointed to the arena. "After you?"

"Wait your turn, Joey," Bakura said, tapping his back. "How about Yugi and I, hm?"

"Uhhhhhh..."

"THE Yugi Motoh? But of course, who else could it be." Diaz stood, dusting himself lightly, and strolled over, favoring the five friends with a slow, charming smile. "Well, it's a little difficult, with so many fine Duelists and only one arena.This is Junon's first tournament," he explained. "He's not quite up on the etiquette of things." He leaned in and whispered in Junon's ear a moment.

Junon bit his lower lip, then nodded agreement. "You, I, yes?" he said, almost shyly, to Bakura. _"Un Duel, peut-être?_ Oh--" he blushed. "Duel--"

_"Mais certainement, oui,"_ Bakura answered. _"Je serais honoré."_

Junon's face lit. _"Ah, vous parlez français ? C'est merveilleux. Je l'apprécie, monsieur."_

"You speak French?" Tèa poked Bakura in the chest. "No fair! You're helping me next quarter in my French class, no excuses."

"That leaves you and I," Diaz said to Yugi. "I hope I'll be up to your standards. It's quite the thing, to duel the King of Games."

"I'd be happy to accept your challenge." Yugi put out a hand and shook Diaz's. "And may the best man win."

"Shall we see if we can find somewhere comfortable to rest while we await our turn? I believe our host, Mr. Kaiba, thoughtfully provided folding chairs in the compartment under the Arena."

As soon as everyone else was seated, Amos and Joey took their places. "You can go first," Joey said grandly. "Ya better make da most of it."

"Oh I will, you can bet on that. Hadn't got but one star chip right now t'wager you, though."

"Ahhh, dat's fine."

Amos snapped out his chip and set it on the Dueling board before drawing his cards and studying them. "I'll play one card face down--" he set it in the Magic/Trap zone-- "and I'm summonin' Gravekeeper's Curse, in defense mode."

A man garbed in dark robes, holding a staff shaped like a large ankh, appeared on the field. As soon as he did he began to chant, light forming around him, then lashing out suddenly to strike Joey.

"EY! What's da deal here! Ya can't attack on ya first round!" Joey said, momentarily off-guard.

"Shore can't, but I didn't. Gravekeeper's special effect is that soon as I put him on the field, he does 500 points of direct damage to mah opponent's Life Points," Junon said. "Hope I got your attention with that'un. My turn's done."

"That's a pretty weak card, isn't it?" Tristan whispered to Yugi as Joey drew his first card. "Only 800 attack and defense."

"It is," Yugi whispered back, "but that special effect means he's already a little ahead before Joey even gets a monster out, and it gives him a defense. I'm more worried about that face-down card. We just have to trust Joey to make a comeback and even the odds as soon as possible."

_Nice moves dis guy's got. _Joey pondered. _I need something to put between me an' him for a sec, get my troops in line._ "I summon Baby Dragon in defense mode, an' dese two cards face down for later. Now, den, smart guy, make ya move."

"You asked for it. How's about this fella-- Man with Wdjat." A second cloaked figure, this one with a gleaming Eye symbol on his foreheard, appeared beside the Gravekeeper. "Now, just you show me one of your face-down cards."

"WHAAAAAT!"

"Man with Wdjat lets me choose one of your set cards each turn, beginnin' the turn I play him and goin' on as long as he's face up on the field, and see what it is. That don't trigger any of your card's special effects, by th' way, and it don't destroy it neither, but at least I know what you're up to." Amos leaned over, surveying Joey's side of the field. "That'un, over to your left."

The card flipped briefly to reveal itself as Graceful Dice.

"Guess you're lookin' to buff up that Dragon of yours and blow through my cards." Amos looked grim. "Reckon I'm gonna have to de-rail that train right quick." He held up a card. "This here's Offerings to th' Doomed. Lets me destroy any one monster, long's as I skip my next draw, so you can say goodbye to your dragon."

With a squawk, the Bady Dragon was dragged down by spectral hands and disappeared from the field.

"Next thing I'll do is send my Gravekeeper over that way to attack you. Go, Gravekeeper!" Amos ordered.

"Not so fast, buddy," Joey warned. "Ya forgot my other face-down card. Try a Scapegoat on fa size! Dat keeps your Gravekeeper's dirty fingers offa my Life Points."

"Shore does. Reckon I'll just play one more face-down card, here, and end my turn. Your go."

_Come on, deck, show me some love... Bingo!_ "All right, here we go! I play the magic card Monster Reborn t'bring back my Baby Dragon. Next, I'll play Polymerization an' fuse him with my Time Wizard to form Thousand Dragon. AND since you din't take my Graceful Dice off da field, let's just see how many points my Dragon gains." Joey watched eagerly as the dice rolled across the field. "Aw, only 600 points. Well, dat still raises him to a sweet 3000 attack points, which will blow through your Widget guy no problem. Dragon! Give him ya best shot!"

"Reveal Trap Card!" Amos waved a hand. "Solemn Judgement! I pay half my Life Points to negate the attack AND destroy the cards involved! So bang goes your Thousand Dragon, and you ain't gettin' him back soon since you already used up your Monster Reborn. Gravekeeper, Man with Wdjat, kick a couple of those Scapegoats outta our way!"

Joey's face twitched as he watched his Dragon vanish. _...I think I seriously underestimated dis guy. Okay. Time ta get serious._

"Ouch." Tèa winced. "That's... gotta hurt a little. If Joey doesn't get another monster on the field next turn--"

"There will be nothing left between his Life Points and another attack from Amos," finished Yami. "Because on Amos's next turn he can draw again, which means he may be able to summon a third creature to his side."

The Duel continued to see-saw back and forth, with Amos managing to counter most of Joey's moves and occasionally slip in a blow to Joey's Life Points. Flippancy abandoned for the moment, Joey played a fast, savage game, finally winning through Amos's defenses with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon and delivering the winning shot. "Nice one," he complemented, concealing a hasty swipe at the sweat on his forehead with a casual rake through his bangs. "Ya got all the moves to be one serious contender."

"Thank y'kindly," Amos said. "You shore earned this chip, and I don't mind givin' it up after a tussle like that one. Reckon that ends my visit to the island."

"Look me up if you're in another tournament," Joey offered. "I'll give ya a rematch any time."

"I believe that means we're next," Bakura said, rising, then looked to Yugi. "Unless you-?"

"I fear I might be something of a let-down after that display," Diaz joked. "But if my opponent is agreeable to setting our challenge now..."

"I have no problem with that." Yami stood and ascended to the podium.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

From his concealed position on the opposite side of the meadow, Pegasus shifted, stretching out one leg cautiously. The last thing he wanted was a leg cramp. Sitting still in one position wasn't trying on his nerves so much as it was trying on his body. "Mental note: buy a Nautilus exercise system," he murmured to himself.

_Now, what are you three up to? Granted, I've never seen any of you Duel before, but... something tells me you're HOPING to be beaten. You're not throwing the game; oh no. That would be unwise with so many experienced Duelists around. Someone would spot you at it. There's some gambit on your mind and it has nothing to do with faking a loss. You want to lose fair and square. God, how I wish I had-- _he stopped, shaking his head a fraction. _No. No. Don't even think it. That's the same thing that brought you down the path of ruination before. The Millenium Eye is best well and truly out of your reach, Maximilian._

"Whazzup, Boss?" Buzz slithered out of the underbrush and crouched down beside Pegasus.

"Joey just trounced one of those three you saw last night. It wasn't an easy Duel either, but all my instincts are telling me something was still odd about it. Next up is little Yugi-- although, of course, it isn't Yugi we're looking at right now."

"His name is Diaz. Diaz Russio, according to the info in the KaibaCorp mainframe."

"Russio? Are you sure?" Pegasus looked taken aback. "But he's--"

"He's what?"

"Nothing."

"Aw, you KNOW I hate it when you hold out on me, Boss."

"Patience, dear friend, patience. It's a virtue you know." Pegasus tapped Buzz's nose lightly.

"Boss, ah, like this really needs to be pointed out, but, patience? Whazzat? I ain't got any. I'm an action guy, go go go go!"

"Settle DOWN. Do you want them to notice us?"

"Yessir. Sorry sir. Settling down now sir."

_Are you ready, young one?_ Yami asked silently, shuffling his deck before setting it in place on the board.

_'Yeah. Let's Duel!'_

Yami drew his first card and glanced at it offhandedly. "I will set these two cards face down, and summon Neo the Magical Swordsman, in defense mode." As the figure flared to life on the holographic field, Yami nodded to Diaz. "Your move."

Diaz hesitated, staring across the field at Yami, a look of wonder crossing his features momentarily. Then he seemed to recall where he was and what he was doing and shook it off. "I... will play one card, and summon the Headless Knight in defense."

"If you are done, then..." Yami gestured. "Reveal my first face down card. Secret Barrel! For each card and creature in play on your side of the field, receive 200 points of direct damage to your life points!"

An empty spot on the field suddenly spun, revealing a cannon. Its beam lanced past Diaz's Headless Knight and struck him full on, staggering him. His points dropped 400 points immediately. "Uh!" he gasped.

"Yeaaaaah!" Joey jumped up from his chair, waving his fists in the air over his head. "Way ta go, Yuge! Trash him!"

"Gotta love that neutrality," Mai drawled, "you can tell Joey Wheeler doesn't play favorites."

Diaz drew his next card, studied his hand a second, then leaned forward. "I summon the Mysterious Puppeteer, in defense mode," he said. A figure wrapped in flowing Arabian robes, its face shrouded in shadow, appeared on the field and extended its hands, a tiny wooden marionette appearing between and hanging suspended as if by invisible strings from the Puppeteer's fingers.

"So long as he remains in play, my Life Points increase by 500 for each additional monster summoned-- including yours, Yugi," Diaz said. "So I would caution you to choose your creatures wisely-- since each of them will make me stronger."

"Ouch," Tristan muttered. "That means the more creatures Yugi brings to bear, the stronger he gets."

"And the more creatures HE plays too." Bakura leaned forward, watching with interest. "That means Yugi, or rather the Pharoah, is going to have to do exactly what Diaz said-- choose his creatures wisely. He's going to have to get rid of the Puppeteer, or concentrate on attacking Diaz with magic and traps more than with monsters."

"Yeah, I'm digging it." Tris took a breath, let it out slowly. "Well, nothing much we can do here except watch and cheer."

"And now, my second face-down card." Yami swept his hand in front of him. "Dark Hole, to destroy ALL monsters on the field, mine and yours alike." A sparkling whirlwind shot across the arena, wiping out everything.

"You... take me by surprise," Diaz forced out. "But you now leave yourself open, for my turn is next."

Yami smiled. "But I'm not finished yet. MONSTER REBORN! Come forth, Neo, and strike my foe, your power increased by the Book of Secret Arts! You may gain 500 points for Neo's return to the fight, Diaz, but you lose 1500 from his attack."

The swordsman's blade flashed, and Diaz cried out, his life points dropping to 2600.

"My last card this turn." Yami drew one more card from his hand and turned it to face Diaz. "Ookazi. Another 800 points directly to your life. Your move."

"Sheez, dat's almost half his life in one round," Joey said. "Remind me again why I don't wanna be on his bad side."

"3600 to 1800 is exactly his remaining points." Mai kicked a foot idly in the air. "I think Yugi would've had more competition playing YOUR opponent, Joey."

"NOW who's playin' favorites?"

"I ALWAYS bet on a sure thing." She winked at Joey.

With a deep breath, Diaz played a card. "I use the magic of Eternal Rest to destroy all monsters equipped with an Equip Spell card. Since yours is the only monster on the field that qualifies, your Swordsman is no more." A dark mist swirled up around Neo and carried him off. "Now I will summon Cliff the Trap Remover, and have him attack you directly. Go!"

Yami winced as his life meter went from 4000 to 2800.

"This also activates one of Cliff's special effects. Each time he successfully deals damage to my opponent's Life Points, I may send 2 cards from the top of their deck to the Graveyard." Diaz smiled. "With one last card face-down, my turn is done."

"Well chosen and played." Yami drew; considered his cards.

_'That's got to be a Magic or Trap card of some kind,' _Yugi whispered, looking across the playing board. _'It's probably chosen to prevent us from just taking out the Trap Remover.'_

_I agree. A direct attack now wouldn't do us any good. Hmmm..._

_'That's kind of creepy.'_

_What is?_ Yami looked over at Yugi.

_'Diaz. He's just staring over here. I know it's the distance and the fact I'm right beside you, but I'd SWEAR he was looking at me.'_

_Try to ignore him. We must concentrate on the Duel._

_'You're right.'_ Yugi also studied Yami's cards. _'Maybe... the Witty Phantom?'_

_He isn't strong enough on his own, and if we do attack Diaz's creature, it may well fail. But I think you have part of the answer._ "I will summon one card to the field, face-down in defense position," Yami said. "Then I play the trap card Ultimate Offering, giving up 500 Life Points to summon a second creature to the field." He set the second creature face down as well. "Finally, I play a second card here--" laying it in the Magic/Trap area again-- "and end my turn."

"Hmm. I seem to have a decision to make. Doubtless you wish me to attack." Diaz played a single card. "Then I will oblige you. Cliff! Attack his first concealed monster!"

"Wrong choice. That's my Wall of Illusion! Your Trap Remover is returned to your hand. Now, I reveal my other face down cards. Witty Phantom, equip yourself with the Sword of Dark Destruction and attack my foe directly!"

Diaz gasped. "No-!"

Diaz's Life Point meter plummeted to zero.

With a long, shuddering breath, Diaz stepped off the podium, leaning for a moment on Amos till he regained himself. "I... truly didn't expect that," he said. "You truly ARE the King of Games. I thought I'd last a little longer than that." He chuckled ruefully. "Well, I must pay my forfeit." He straightened, taking two Star Chips from his wristband, and held them out. "Your reward for victory."

Yami descended the stairs to meet Diaz and put his hand out, slender fingers closing over the stars--

And a ring of light sprang up around himself, Diaz and Amos, cutting the three of them off from the others.

"Forgive me," Diaz said quietly. "But you must be prepared to risk everything... to gain everything."

"What th' HELL!" Joey jumped up, overturning his chair. "What're you doing you creep!"

"Yugi!" Tèa clenched a fist. "Pharoah..."

"C'mon, Joey!" Tristan also leapt up, only to be grabbed from behind and wrestled to the ground by Junon. "Wha-uff Hey, get OFF me you big lug!"

Junon shook his head a look of mingled regret and determination in his gaze. "_Non, m'sieur, _how you say... I can not."

In the ring, meanwhile, Yami was trying to pull his hand out of Diaz's grasp and failing. With a soft snarl he glared at the other man, the Millenium symbol flaring to life on his forehead and throwing its light over them all. "Release me," he ordered. "NOW."

"Forgive me," Diaz said again. "But you took something from me once. It is only right you should, yourself, give back what was taken." He reached out, then, with palm upturned, and put his hand into Yami's chest. It passed in seamlessly and Yami stiffened, eyes wide, then trembled and collapsed as Diaz withdrew his hand, cradling a shimmering globe of white/gold light, like a tiny sun, no bigger than a golf ball. He cupped it to him, staring down into its depths a moment. "Little Prince," he said, voice full of wonder and respect. "It IS you. At last." He smiled gently, the tender emotion only making the moment more frightening, somehow. "Don't be afraid. No harm will come to you. --Amos. Take us from this place," he ordered.

Amos set his teeth and raised a hand, drawing a symbol in mid-air (with obvious effort) that seemed to glow black. As he drew it, in its wake small pools of shadow seemed to form around the feet of the three-- Diaz, Junon and Amos. At once Junon released Tristan and stepped quicly back, getting well clear of the other young man.

Diaz looked out across the faces of the others. "Tell the King," he said, raising his voice to be heard, "that I will care for the Prince as if he were my own. Tell him it is useless to seek us. On the day when Isis finds Osirus, I shall be made whole-- and the King will be no more. Prepare yourselves. The Age of Chaos is upon you."

The trio dropped through the shadows at their feet, then, and vanished.

"YUGI!" Tèa vaulted Tristan as he was getting to his feet and ran to the crumpled form's side, dropping down beside him. "Yugi...?" She put her arms around him, realizing as she did he was shivering slightly. His face was white, his skin clammy. _Shock, _some part of her mind that'd actually been paying attantion in First Aid class said. _He's going into shock. _"Hey, I need a coat or something over here! We need to get him warm!"

At the sound of her shout, the figure seemed to rouse slightly, one hand coming up in slow motion, a feeble gesture before it dropped weakly to his chest. Amethyst eyes fluttered open, unfocussed, and looked up into Tèa's anxious face. _"Ib-ih," _he muttered, _"fehn ib-ih..."_

"What!" Tèa stared. "I'm sorry, I don't-- oh no..." Gently she stroked the rainbow hair. "It's you, isn't it? It's the Pharoah. But where's YUGI?"

"Here you go, Tèa," Tristan said, kneeling by the pair and offering up his trench. "How bad is it?"

Tèa just shook her head. "The worst. It's the Pharoah. He's in shock. I, I think he's speaking Egyptian. I can't understand him. And I don't know what's wrong, why Yugi isn't here. I thought since they were in the same body, they're always together."

"Maybe Yugi's out cold, or in shock too."

Joey also dropped down on his knees, looking at his stricken friend. "We gotta get him out of da weather," he said tonelessly. "Tris, c'mon, let's see if we can turn one'a dose chairs into something we can carry him on." He gripped one of Yami's hands briefly. "Don't'cha worry, pal. We're gonna take good care of ya."

At the edge of the group, Yami Bakura stood watching, thoughts in turmoil. _'My heart,' he said. 'Where is my heart?' _Unseen by anyone, he touched the Millenium Ring and whispered, "Ring, direct me to the location of Yugi Motoh."

The Ring failed to respond.

_Impossible! The Ring can locate anything in this world!_

_Unless--_

_Is the boy dead? No... no. Diaz said something about caring for him. That must mean he has taken Yugi's soul. But if he HAS..._

_Then he has severed the link between the Pharoah and his Light. Or at least closed it down._

_How ironic. For centuries I've dreamt of seeing the Pharoah thus, shattered at my feet. Now that my dream has come to pass, I find I do not like the sight of it. I like it none at all._

_'Don't you know why?'_

Yami Bakura half snarled _You again! What now, brat? What are you babbling about._

Pale, ghostly, barely visible, Bakura faced his alter ego. _'You understand,' _he said gently. _'You know what it would be like. You may not have much regard for me, or any respect at all-- but you wouldn't harm me. And you don't want to lose me, no matter what you say.'_

_You overestimate your importance to me._

_'I do? Then why did you allow yourself to be beaten at Battle City? Or even better, if you can drive souls out of their bodies-- and I know you can-- why haven't you driven me out already?'_

_I--_ Brought up short, Yami Bakura stuttered.

_'You don't really want to be rid of me. You need me, just as Yami and Yugi need each other. I finally understand. I am YOUR Light, and you might coach it in selfish terms, but you won't ever let me come to any real harm.' _Bakura looked sorrowfully at Yami, still lying on the ground. _'He's lost his heart-- and you know what that would feel like, because if you ever lost me...'_

_NONSENSE!_

_'Prove it then. Be rid of me once and for all.'_ Bakura spread his arms. _'Go on, I won't fight you. Do it.'_

_It doesn't suit me to do it now._

_"Really? So sure, are you? Or is that just another excuse? I'm starting to see through you, you know. I'm starting to understand you. Can't say I like what I find-- but at least I'm beginning to see who you are and why you do the things you do. And... I might be feeling sorry for you.' _Bakura lowered his arms. _'I know you don't think much of me, like I said. But, please... if you ever did anything, anything at all, out of the least bit of consideration for me... please try to help the Pharoah. You might be the only one that can.'_ Bakura drew closer, one wraithlike hand reaching to touch Yami Bakura's cheek. _'Ba Kuu'ra...'_

_My name... you know my TRUE name. How..._

_'I am you. You're me. We're the same person, somehow. I don't know the things you know, I don't understand the things you do. I don't have your strength. But you don't have my humanity. We're not complete without each other. For what it's worth... I forgive you.'_

Gone, then, and behind him Bakura left a very shaken Thief.

Back at the shelter, Yami took the proffered cup of tea and held it with both hands. _"Shepemot," _he said listlessly, and sipped at it, eyes dull.

Gradually an idea pushed its way to the surface. _Language. _

He lifted his head, struggling to marshall his thoughts. He could see the others moving around, speaking quietly among themselves, but the words were alien to him. They sounded almost familar. He knew he should know what they were talking about.

_But it isn't Kemet-ih. It's... _

_It isn't Egyptian. _

_Think. You must think. You must make yourself understood. You should know the words by now. You should've learned them, at least a few of them-- _

_But Yugi isn't here, I don't have his memories-- _

A spasm of pain, and he hunched over, letting it wash past him without a sound. Yugi, Yugi. His partner, his other self. Their union had made it possible for him to be set free of the Puzzle, to understand this world so different than what he remembered. Because Yugi knew the languages of this place and time, he'd known them too.

He was adrift with no compass now, no map, no star to guide him.

Alone.

_No. I'm not alone. My friends are here. They ARE my friends, as much as Yugi's. They will not desert me. _He drained the mug and held it out towards Tèa. _"Ihm sha--" _he began, then stopped himself, forced himself to find the other words. "More... please."

_I cannot go on like this. It's impossible. We must depart this place. I need time to regain my wits._

_Is this how it was? This pain is so familiar. Did I lie in the darkness and howl when we were cast apart, 5000 years ago? Almighty Ra, god of light, lend me your strength, I pray you. I must not curl up like a wounded dog and wait to see if I live or die. Yugi, the others, need me to be strong. I was Pharoah, the Great House, the shelter of my people, the voice of the gods. A Pharoah does not lie down in the dust and give up. If they are here to be strong for me, I must be strong for them. _

With all the strength of will he could muster, he made himself pay attention to the talk around him, trying to make sense of it where he could. It didn't ease the ache, but at least it kept him from falling back into the cold dark inside himself.

"He doesn't look so good," Tristan murmured.

"At least he looks like he's coming out of it a little. He's more alert." Mai heaved a sigh. "I can't say you people don't lead fun-filled lives. Every time I'm around, it just gets more interesting."

"Ya get used to it. This kind of oogy-boogy stuff happens to Yuge a lot." Joey rubbed his face. "Point is, whadda we do now? We don't even know what's wrong with him."

"It's like Yugi isn't even there." Tèa clasped her arms around herself. "You remember, when he was in the Shadow Duel, we could feel him. I can't feel him at all now. It's like there's a gap where he ought to be." Her face paled. "You don't think he's--"

"No, no, hold on there, Tèa." Bakura waved his hands. "Don't panic. I don't think Yugi's-- you know-- oh, bother, might as well say it. I don't think he's dead, all right? I don't think he's in immediate danger either, from some of the things that were said. But I do think we need to find him, and I think we ALL know who must have him."

"That Diaz creep." Tristan glowered. "I get my hands on him--"

"Take a number Tris, ya gotta wait in line. Lotsa folks here got dibs on that punk. And to think I told dat Amos guy he was a contender! I'ma bust HIS chops when I see him again, too."

_"Cha-hm--"_

"Huh?"

Yami snarled, irritated. With a visible effort he repeated, slowly, "Go. From here."

"Whazzat, pal?" Joey hunkered down, looking at Yami. "You want us t'go somewhere? Ya need some space?"

"No." Yami put a hand on Joey's shoulder. "Us. Me. From here. Away."

"You want to leave," Tèa said. "Go home, is that what you mean?"

Yami gave her a grateful look and nodded. "Jankenpon."

"He's got the right idea. I don't think he's in any condition to go on with the tournament, not like any of us are." Tristan held up a finger. "Trouble is, we got one major stumbling block to that."

Tèa rolled her eyes. "Kaiba."

"Yep, Kaiba. He's never listened to Yugi, uh, the Pharoah, uh, either of 'em, before. He's sure not going to listen when we tell him..." he trailed off. "What ARE we going to tell him?"

"The truth." Tèa shrugged. "Yugi's not able to complete the tournament. He's sick."

"Fat lotta chance that'll work. Remember what dat guy told us down at da dock? Dey gotta crew of doctors an' stuff here on the island 24-7. Kaiba calls 'em in, blahdy blah, nothin' wrong with him WE can find, more blahdy blah, get off ya duff an' back into da field."

"So we do an end-run around the doctors. We get down to the dock and get on the boat before Kaiba even knows we're near the beach."

"It sounds good so far." Mai tipped her head. "But how, exactly, do we 'do an end run' around Seta Kaiba?"

"We call in a favor with the lesser Kaiba." Tristan dug around in his pack and brought out a cell phone. "I got Mokuba's number after that whole thing with Anubis and gave him mine in case Kaiba started freaking out again. Now let's just hope..." Hitting the speed-dial, he held the phone to his ear. "One ringie dingie, two ring-- Yeah, uh, Mokuba Kaiba please. Tristan Taylor calling. I'm a friend of Yugi Motoh's..? Thanks." He mouthed, 'Call screening,' to the others, then waited. "Hiya, Mokuba. --Well, not so hot. That's why I'm calling. We need a huge favor here. We've got to withdraw from the tournament. --Ow!" He winced. "Wanna tune that down some? I can really hear you now, you know. --Yeah... yeah, that's what I said, withdraw. It's... kind of an emergency here. Yugi's.. um." He glanced over at Yami. "Yugi's kind of out of it.. he's not feeling himself." _Hoo boy is that the truth. _

"What? Oh, no...we really don't think he's in any condition to go on in the tournament, and you know none of us wanna be here without him. I'm really sorry about this but-- Ah, no. No, we're rather just go home. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I KNOW he's gonna pop his cork. But if anyone can talk to him... yeah, that's the huge favor part. We need you to run interference with your bro for us." Tristan nodded a couple of times. "Uh-huh. Yeah, tell me about it. Well, if he does, we'll just get past it somehow. Anyway, we're heading down to the boat-dock now, you think you can call ahead and let them know we've got to leave? 'Preciate it, guy. Later."

He tucked the phone away again and gave the group a thumbs-up. "Okay, Mokuba's going to try to slip it past Kaiba, but it's almost a guaranteed that hes going to make a big stink. Might be better for us if we were on the boat before Kaiba gets down here, so let's move."

A half hour's walk and they emerged from the forest, the boat dock ahead of them. There was already a small boat tied up at the wharf, obviously awaiting their arrival.

"All right, Mokuba!" Tristan exclaimed. "And no sign of Kai--" he broke off as a sudden wind kicked up, glancing skyward. "Oh, nutbunnies."

As everyone followed his gaze, they saw a KaibaCorp helicopter descending, and someone already out the door and standing on the landing strut, face grim as stone.

Seto Kaiba had arrived.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

"Yo, Kaiba," Joey said. "Tell me one thing, what's with da copter fixation? Whassa matter, you get carsick or something?"

"Can it, Wheeler," Kaiba said, stepping to the ground lightly. "When I want to hear a dog barking, I'll go visit the pound."

"WHAT! I'll pound YOU, ya--" Joey started forward, to be grabbed by Bakura and Tristan. Kaiba only smirked and stalked over--no other word would describe it-- to stand in front of Yami, eyes narrowed. "Just what do you think you're playing at?" he demanded. "I've never thought of you as a quitter."

Yami threw him a smouldering glance but said nothing.

"You know, you don't look like you're ill. So what is this, more of your mystic mumbo-jumbo? Some mysterious threat to the world that you have to run off and take care of?" Kaiba smirked. "Grow up, Yugi. There's no mysterious conspiracies at work here. Admit it. You just don't think you've got what it takes, after what, two, three years of being out of the circuit? Well, too bad. I'll have my clinic here on the island check you out, and if you're really ill we'll see about letting you out of it. But if you're well enough to Duel, I'm going to hold you to it-- or watch you prove yourself a coward and a fraud."

Yami's eyes widened, then narrowed. Soft lavender eyes turned blood-red, and his mouth drew back in a snarl. "Coward?" he repeated. "Call me...coward? You know NOTHING." A sense of tension, of power, filled the air, like the seconds before a lightning strike.

Kaiba laughed lightly, folding his arms. "Now you're beginning to interest me. Suppose you prove to me I know 'nothing' on the dueling field."

"Oh, I don't think he's under ANY obligation to do that," a second voice said, lazily cutting across the incipient disaster.

Kaiba froze, his eyes going wide. Startled himself, Yami turned slightly, looking back over one shoulder, the red fire fading. "..?"

At the edge of the wharf, Maximilian Pegasus swept back his hair and smiled to himself. This was going to be the most interesting thing that'd happened for YEARS. Smoothing down the lapels of his khaki, he strolled forward, attention all on Kaiba, who was standing there approaching critical mass. "Hello, Kaiba-boy," he drawled. "Miss me?"

"What... the hell... are you... doing here?"

"Living here, at least until recently. It IS my island, after all. Where else did you expect me to be? Really now."

"We had an agreement. You're not supposed to be interfering in the tournament."

"Oh, I remember our agreement, but do YOU see any Dueling going on here? No? Well, then, obviously I'm not interfering with the tournament. But then, you've always been so amazingly shortsighted for a successful young businessman, Kaiba. Constitutionally unable to see anything but what you choose to see." Pivoting, Pegasus strolled off a few steps, gesturing around him. "You fail to see, for example, that no matter who owns a piece of land on paper, it will always belong to its true master. And this island is mine." He turned again, folding his arms. "This is MY kingdom," he continued, letting some of the mockery drop out of his voice. "I built this place, as you built KaibaCorp, to be my bastion against the world. It carries my mark deep within it, beyond your power to erase. And that's really what you wanted, wasn't it. This place, this tournament... this attempt to keep Yugi from leaving... it's all just another attempt to erase the events of a past you couldn't control. To deny that you were ever in a situation where you came in second. You always have to be first in everything, don't you, Kaiba-boy? Because if you're not, then what possible worth are you?"

Kaiba had gone from the flush of anger to a deadly pale by this point, and his clenched fists were hanging loosly by his side.

"Yugi is right," Pegasus said, taking one step closer, more than a hint of darkened steel entering his tones now. "You know NOTHING. You imagine that the world is something you can weave to your own purpose, in your own time. You think that you can wipe away the marks time and life have left on you." With one hand he swept back the fall of hair on the left side of his face, letting Kaiba-- and Kaiba alone-- see what lay under there. "Remember this? THIS is the sort of thing that happens to the arrogant, sooner or later."

Kaiba only scowled.

"The world will break you, Kaiba, if you insist on trying to bend it to your purpose," Pegasus said, voice barely audible above the surf. "It will break you, and roll on past you without a second thought. You'd better learn now, there are some things you can't control-- some things you have no RIGHT to control-- and some things you will never survive unless you're willing to accept them purely for what they are." He let his hair fall back down. "Yugi and his friends have their own reasons for wanting to leave now, and you have no right to stop them. Nor are you GOING to stop them. I won't have it, you see. And though I no longer hold the Millenium Eye, I am still Maximilian Pegasus, and YOU, Seto Kaiba, would be well advised to remember that a good magician never gives away ALL his secrets. Beware of giving me reason to show you what I've kept in reserve." He turned away, leaving Kaiba standing there, and bowed from the waist to the others. "Our boat awaits us; shall we board?" Long fingers snapped. "Busby. My suitcases."

"You're going too?" Mai looked surprised. "You mean you're actually leaving the island?"

"Why not? It's about time I got back into the swing of things. I've been stuck out here in a self-imposed retirement for years. Unless I want to become a dried-up rich recluse instead of an eccentric rich playboy, I need to expand my horizons again." He half-turned. "Besides, I seem to be making a habit out of rescuing you people. Maybe I'd better be close at hand in case I have to rescue you again."

Tristan's eyes narrowed. "You know something."

"I know a lot of things. Whether any of them are germane to the situation remains to be seen."

The trip back to the mainland was a quiet one. Pegasus stayed at the rear of the boat, watching his island dwindle behind them, expression unreadable. It took far less time in the smaller, speedier motorboat to make the transit across the channel. They drew into dock just as the afternoon was beginning to fade into twilight.

"Far be it for me to bring up this inconvenient little point," Bakura said as they disembarked, "but since we left the tournament before it ended, how exactly are we supposed to get home? I rather doubt Kaiba is feeling generous enough to have an auto sent round for us."

"Kaiba might not be," Pegasus said, "but I am. Busby, go find us a nice large car from the Industrial Illusions carpool here in town and bring it around, won't you?"

"Yessir!" Busby darted around a corner and vanished. Twenty minutes later a limousine pulled up to the edge of the boat landing.

"Isn't he a treasure?" Pegasus purred, smiling back at the group. "Now where to?"

"Jankenpon Center," Tèa said. "Um, Mr. Pegasus..."

"Just 'Pegasus' will do."

"...Thanks. We really do appreciate this." She glanced sideways at Yami. "He's REALLY not feeling well--"

"Tèa, dear... spare me. I was watching. I saw what happened." Pegasus looked around, scanning the streets. "But we really should discuss this on the road, in the limo. Hm?"

"I ain't so sure about dis..." Joey grumbled, climbing into the car. "Whoa! Check it, dis thing's fully stocked! Foldout TV's on da armrests... is dis real leather? Man, I gotta get me one a'dese."

"JOEY," Tèa said, climbing in after him, "can you get serious for a second here? We've got problems and all you can do is drool about a stupid car."

"Tèa. Tèa, Tèa, Tèa. DIS is NOT just another 'stupid car'. DIS is LUXURY on wheels."

When they were on the highway, Mai leaned forward. "All right, Maximillian, spill it. You're involved in this up to your snowy-white eyebrows, aren't you?"

"Me? Mai, you must think I'm a complete scoundrel."

"If it suited you, yes. You'd've made a GREAT highwayman."

"I'll take that as a complement." Pegasus turned and looked out the window at the gathering dark. "Actually, my involvement in this was only peripheral, up until about three months ago. That was when I received a telephone call from Diaz Russio."

That got Yami's attention. "Diaz?"

"Mm." Pegasus nodded. "The same Diaz you Dueled, Pharoah. --Oh yes, I know who you are. I remember you VERY well. I don't suppose it'll do much good, but... I am sorry. I could claim momentary lapse of sanity as a reason for the events of the first Duelist Kingdom, but it's not justification. I am ultimately responsible for the things I did, whether or not I was fully in my right mind when I did them. I've paid for it, am still paying for it I suppose, one way or another."

"We...saw your diary," Tèa said softly. "We read about your wife. We were looking for the cards that you used to trap Yugi's grandfather and the Kaiba brothers in."

"Cecelia..." A bittersweet smile. "She was my everything. Better men than I have done worse things for the woman they loved. But that is immaterial to the point at hand." He looked calmly around. "Diaz, as I was saying, called me. Himself. He had a business proposition for me. He wanted to buy out my contract with KaibaCorp, have me become his own personal designer for a new line of Duel Monster cards. Virtual cards, for use in a new game he was designing. Or so he said."

"And YOU said...?" prompted Tristan.

"I told him the truth. I haven't designed a single new card since Duelist Kingdom. I had a few stockpiled, but when those had been sent to KaibaCorp, that was it. The end. I haven't been able to paint anything. I'm not sure why. Of course, I didn't tell him ALL the details, simply that I was retired, no longer creating, very sorry.

"He refused to take 'no' for an answer. He persisted in offering me ever larger sums of money and percentages of commission, as if he thought I was only concerned with the money. The money's NEVER been an issue. Despite what Kaiba thinks, he could terminate my contract with him tomorrow and I'd still have enough of a fortune left to go on quite comfortably till I'm, oh, a hundred and fifty-three or so. The issue is the connection I felt with the creatures of the Shadow Realm. The need, the desire to bring them to awaken them from their long slumber."

Mai's eyes were wide by this time. "They're ALL real...?"

"They're ALWAYS been real, Mai. Older than America, older than Egypt even. As old as the first dreams of Mankind." Pegasus steepled his fingers. "It's merely that the ancient Egyptians were the first to try to understand them, live with them. They are the stuff of Chaos itself, given form by us. You've noticed, haven't you, the archetypes? Dragons, elves, fairies, devils, demons, angels-- the creatures we know from Duel Monsters have shapes we recognize from a hundred old fairy tales, a thousand old legends. Our dreams and our nightmares are the patterns. I believe that the Shadow Realm really IS a shadow-- of the world of Men. It cannot exist without us, and in a sense we can't exist without them. Men have always needed their dreams, their fantasies. The Orientals say it best: Yin and Yang. The balance of the two principles. There cannot be Day without Darkness, there can't be Shadows without Light."

"And da Egyptians... dey figured it out an' started playing games with dese things?"

"More than games, Joey. I believe that in the ancient city of the Pharoah, the Shadow Beings-- what we call Duel Monsters-- coexisted with men. They all lived together in one relatively peaceful kingdom. However, SOMETHING happened. What it was I can't tell you, I don't know. The EFFECT it had is obvious-- the Shadow Realm was shut off from our own world, except to those who hold a Millenium Item." Pagasus sighed. "But that, too, isn't material to the point. The point is Diaz Russio, and his ever-more ominous attempts to get me to produce more cards."

"Ominous as in-- what?" Tristan leaned forward, hands between his knees. "Threats?"

"Yes, though very politely veiled. And promises. One of the things he promised me was the restoration of the Millenium Eye."

"That's impossible!" As all eyes turned his way, Bakura hastily added, "I mean, WE don't even know where it is, how could Diaz?"

"Very good. I wondered about that one myself. I'm fully aware of who it was that took the Millenium Eye." For just a moment Pegasus's gaze lingered on Bakura. "But I confess I couldn't see why the thief would be willing to give up the Eye on Diaz's say-so, nor how Diaz could've learned about it in the first place. I... admit, there was more than a moment's temptation. You can't understand what it is to wield that kind of power until you've had a taste of it. The Eye allowed me to do more than simply read minds; it permitted me to see across the miles to anywhere on the globe, or into other planes of reality. Nothing was beyond my sight, not even my beloved Cecelia. I could see her, or at least I thought I could, but never, never touch her."

"That's so sad," murmured Tèa. "No wonder you-- you were trying to release her."

"I've since come to the realization what I thought I saw was probably no more than an illusion, wrought by my own desperate desire and the powers of the Eye. I did tell Kaiba he only saw what he wanted to see. I spoke from bitter experience. I think the Cecelia I saw with the Eye was only what I wanted to see, too. Not the truth. I couldn't bear the truth. That, pretty much, was the telling point. Knowing what I know now, I might have been able to master the Millenium Eye and control it properly-- the Millenium Items themselves are neither good nor evil, it depends on the use to which they're put and the intent of the person using them. But I didn't want to wager that I was wrong, and I didn't want to be indebted to Diaz."

"A... wise decision," Yami observed. Somehow, during Pegasus's speech, some of the lingering distrust and dislike he'd held for the man had faded. _I might do the same for Yugi, or for these friends of ours, _he mused. _Who is to say what I would do if I were in Pegasus's place? It is time I let go of this part of the past, too. Yugi would want that. _Reaching across the interior, he held out his hand. A little startled, Pegasus took it, and Yami shook it, then let go. "Peace between us," he said.

A gentle smile touched Pegasus's features. "I thank Your Majesty," he said, inclining his head. "Now, where was I..."

"Diaz," Mai said. "Don't stop now, this is getting interesting."

"About the time Kaiba contacted me wanting to use my island for a tournament, I realized I was being watched. Stalked. There were people moving around in the forests, and they were taking great care not to be identifiable. That was a nuisance. What came after that was alarming.

"There are... things... on the island. Creatures which I believe may be Duel Monsters, or something very similar. And I don't recognize them."

"Now dat ain't right," Joey interjected. "I mean, c'mon here, you invented da game-- okay, you invented da CARDS, how's about. So you gotta know every card in da whole world, right?"

"You flatter me, Joey. No one could remember every card that's ever been released. But I DO have the original artwork for every one of them, and I do have a database that lists every card, just as Kaiba does. The entities that were roaming around my island at night did not fit the description of any Duel Monster I ever produced. Which leads me to one of two conclusions. Either these are creatures which existed in the Egyptian era that I simply haven't 're-invented' yet, but which someone managed to unearth; or, and more troubling, these are Duel Monsters which were created by someone else." Pegasus swept his gaze around. "You do understand-- I thought I was the only person in the world that could re-awaken Duel Monsters. It's not as simple as merely painting a picture. There is a certain expenditure of mystical energy required to imbue the painting as a doorway into our reality. After the first time, any representation will work, but the first invocation takes the raising of power. That's another reason I haven't done any more cards. I don't have the resources of the Eye to draw on. Without it, I either can't imbue the painting, or I'll kill myself trying to."

Tèa mulled that over. "So.. if these are new Duel Monsters... someone might've died to create them." She shuddered. "That's a horrible thought, Pegasus."

"Isn't it? It's a perfect explanation of why they want me. If they truly DO have the Millenium Eye, or can get their hands on it, and give it back to me, then I can produce cards for them without keeling over. They can have all the Duel Monsters they want-- EXCLUSIVE Duel Monsters that exist nowhere else. Remember I said earlier that only the holders of a Millenium Item can open the Shadow Realm. That leads me to believe Diaz must have one or more of the items in his possession. He has something on his side, certainly, since he was able to extract Yugi's soul from his body. Then they just summon the creatures through and take over the world with no one to stop them. No conventional weapons can stop a Duel Monster. The armies of the world would be utterly powerless against them."

As Pegasus continued, Yami Bakura stared out the window into the night. _This doesn't bode well for me. I know Diaz doesn't have the Eye. But if he wants it, then he'll be after me. I don't think I'm quite willing to give up the Millenium Eye, or the Ring for that matter. After all, why stop at one item when you can have two? _

_Like it or not... I must join forces with the Pharoah for a time. He's the only one who stands a chance of stopping Diaz. I suppose that also means helping him get Yugi's soul back. _ Aloud he said, "Then our first step is retrieving Yugi's soul."

"I was wondering when you'd speak up, thief. So NICE of you to officially join the conversation."

"Huh?" Tristan blinked, then shot Bakura a look. "You mean--"

"That isn't your little friend. I don't think it's been the real Bakura for some time. I still possess some sensitivities, without the Eye. And I think I'd be able to recognise the person that took the Eye from me to begin with."

Yami Bakura smirked. "I underestimated you, Pegasus. Another man would've perished, or become a raving lunatic."

"People make a practice of underestimating me. I encourage that, to be honest. Mai is right, I don't miss many chances to give myself an advantage in any given situation." Pegasus leaned forward. "You still have the Millenium Eye, I take it."

"It is safely hidden where only I can find it. But I'm sure you realized already that means my interests now coincide with yours."

"I believe the quote is 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. So long as we're all working towards the same goal-- Diaz's defeat-- you'll be willing to assist us."

"Wait a sec, wait a sec, 'us'?" Joey scowled. "Since when did you hook up with us, Peggy-poo?"

Pegasus arched an eyebrow at that, but let it slide. "We're all in the same boat, Joey. We are all targets of Diaz, or shortly to be."

"He's right." All heads turned as Yami continued, "We... need one another. To survive this. I believe Pegasus can be trusted. This one..." he gave Yami Bakura a stare. "He decieves when it suits him, but I do not think this is one of those times."

Yami Bakura bowed his head mockingly. "You speak truly, O Mighty Pharoah. Until the present crisis is averted, I am your man. I swear it, in the name of Osirus, and by his dark brother Set."

"That reminds me." Tèa swept back her hair. "Didn't Diaz say something about Osirus?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he did. Something about somebody finding Osirus." Tris grimaced. "I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention at the time, if you know what I mean."

"He said, 'on the day when Isis finds Osirus, I shall be made whole'," a new vioce interjected from the front. Everyone looked that way to see Busby looking back at them in the rearview mirror.

"Guess that means you were dere too. Jeez, what is dis, 'Spy on Yugi Day' or something?" Joey leaned up towards the grille between the seats. "What's your part in all dis? You just work for Mr. Moneybags here?"

"Nahhhh, he's my dad." Busby grinned.

Joey face-faulted. "Ya... wha..."

Pegasus chuckled. "May I introduce to you the reason why I haven't been kidnapped before this. Busby Berkley-- AKA Doppleganger. Buzz, take a bow."

Busby doffed his hat and grinned. "Nice to see you guys again-- on the same side of the field this time, if you catch my meaning, if you get my drift."

"Doppleganger?" Mai gasped. "But that's just a--"

"A card, Mai, a card. A Duel Monsters card. A card whose power is to duplicate any other card in play on the field, Magic, Trap, Field Effect, Equip Card... or Monster. In the real world, Doppleganger can become anything he wishes to become. 'Busby' is just a disguise so that he can move about freely without attracting undue attention." Pegasus smiled fondly. "He's my favorite card, you know. He's so versatile."

"Freaky mooky." Joey stared through the grillwork, fascinated. "It ain't like I din't know they could do that-- come through into the real world, dat is. I seen it happen too much to not believe it. But-- hey, you ain't got a Millenium Item, so how come he's still here?"

"He's my favorite card. Think about it."

"Our cards..." Yami drew out the deck, took the top card off the stack The face of the Dark Magician looked back at him. "The favorite ones. The ones we feel closest to. We have..." he frowned, concentrating. "A special--"

"A special bond," finished Tèa, eyes lighting up. "That's what you mean, isn't it, Pegasus? Like our bond with Yugi. Our favorite cards are especially close to us. They can feel us and come through to help us when we're really in danger, if only we believe they can."

"Bravo, Tèa." Pegasus applauded. "You're absolutely right. Even without the Realm being opened, the single card that means the most to us will come to us when we need them. That gives us some slight hope against Diaz. We are not entirely powerless. And with the further assistance of the Pharoah and the thief, here--"

"Ba-Khu'ra," the Thief corrected. "It is my name. Use it."

"With Yami's and Ba-Khu'ra's help, our decks should be fully available to us."

"That is, unfortunately, most of the help I can offer." Ba-Khu'ra shook his head. "The Ring failed to locate Yugi. I've already tried. I conclude, therefore, that he is somehow beyond its range, which I thought was infinite. That, or he is shielded in some manner. There ARE ways to do that, but I was not aware anyone in THIS world still knew of them."

"So what, then?" Tristan looked grim. "How do we track this guy down? He could be anywhere."

"The old-fashioned way," Mai answered. "We do a little detective work."

Pegasus dimmed the interior lights. "May I suggest at this point that we all try to get some rest while we're traveling. It's been a long day, and we're going to be very busy in the days to come."

It began with the wind. Tèa could feel it stirring her hair, then catching up strands of it here and there. Part of her knew she was dreaming, but it didn't stop her from walking along the darkened path in front of her. _Couldn't I be having a nicer dream?_ the dream-aware part of herself grumbled, _considering right now my real life sort of sucks?_

No one answered her; not precisely. Instead, the wind brought the sound of a voice, distanced, muffled. Having nothing better to do, she followed it.

As she walked the forest began to change. Not darker or more menacing; not forboding; not monstrous. But the green leaves grew brown, withered and dropped away, leaving bare branches against a bleak grey sky. The sound of birdsong grew silent. All that she heard was the wind whispering through the twigs above and the broken voice ahead of her, which she could tell now was sobbing. Quiet, despairing sobs that led her on and on until she topped a rise and found herself staring down into a hollow in the hills, where there stood a great dark Gothic house, weathered, beaten down by the years yet still strong enough to stand a century or two more.

As far as she could tell, the crying was coming from there.

Towards one side of the house a old storm shutter flapped restlessly in the wind, revealing a window from which the glass had long been broken and removed. It was barely large enough, but someone COULD wriggle their way through without too much trouble, given they could reach it.

As Tèa stood there looking, something brushed past her ankles, then leapt in a blur atop an old washtub (had that been there before?). For a second the huge brindled cat sat there, bathing, then gave Tèa a long cat-stare out of one golden eye before leaping again to vanish in the tall grasses.

From washtub to window and in was only a few minutes' work.

And yes, here was the source of the crying; down the hall, the long, impossibly long hall, towards the crying, towards the dim light of a flickering fire... and stopped at the doorway by something. Some barrier, something that felt cool and slick and impossibly heavy, like a great sheet of glass.

A room, dark, furniture covered in sheets, dim and forboding.

In the center of the room, a small boy, hands over his face, trying to muffle the sound of his despair and failing.

_Yugi!_ Tèa flattened to the barrier at once, trying to find a way through or catch his attention and failed at both. Furious, she hammered on the invisble wall hard enough to make her hand ache.

Someone stirred, then, in the back of the room, and moved forward; the tall man they'd called Junon. His face mirrored the misery in Tèa's heart. Apparently not seeing her, he walked forward and knelt by the sobbing boy, one hand on Yugi's shoulder, consoling. Yugi only hunched away, giving the giant a look that would've melted stone.

Junon looked down, hurt, guilty, but shook his head slowly: no.

Yugi swallowed, wiping a hand at his face, and said something, the words indistinct. Junon made some reply that Tèa couldn't hear no matter how hard she strained. More earnestly, Yugi argued, pleaded, receiving only another slow shake of the head. The boy's shoulders slumped and he looked away miserably.

Junon heaved a sigh and gently stroked Yugi's hair, then picked him up, turning so that Yugi and Tèa were looking straight at each other through the barrier. Yugi's eyes widened, then he reached out a pleading hand, saying something.

Tèa shook her head. "I can't hear you!" she shouted, then pointed at her ear and cupped a hand behind it. "I can't hear! Oh Yugi-!"

Yugi's brow knitted, a look of determination on his features. His fists clenched. He closed his eyes and appeared to be thinking, or concentrating, as hard as he could on something. Tèa gave a little squeak as she saw the familiar Millenium symbol flare to life on his forehead. _He's never done that before! What's going on?_

_(Wheels)_

Tèa grabbed her temples, eyes wide. She'd HEARD him, somehow. "Yugi...?"

_(look for the wheels, they never stop)_

"What wheels? I don't understand. Yugi--"

_(where you can't tell the night from the sunrise)_

"I don't--"

_(red and black, Tèa, PLEASE--)_

The light faded as Junon carried Yugi away, into the dark of the old house.

"OH!" Tèa sat straight up, banged her head against the back of the seat, and clutched it, wincing. "Owiee..."

"Tèa, y'mind keepin' it down?" Joey mumbled. "Some of us are tryin' to sleep here."

"Joey!" She grabbed his shoulders, shook him. "Joey, WAKE UP! I just had the weirdest dream-- Yugi was in it. I think he was trying to tell me something!"

"Huhwha?" Knuckling his eyes, Joey sat up a bit straighter. "Come again?"

"I had a dream--"

"I got dat part. You said Yuge was in it?"

"Uh-huh." Tèa nodded. "I was in this totally creepy house out in the woods somewhere, and there was this-- wall or something I couldn't get through. Yugi was on the other side. That guy Junon was with him. I couldn't hear what they wee talking abuot, but right at the end Yugi saw me, and he did something-- I saw the Millenium Eye. Not the EYE eye, not the object; the symbol. It was glowing on Yugi's forehead. The Pharoah's done that before, remember?"

"Uh... yeah.. yeah, I think I know what'cha talking about. Hang on a sec." Leaning across the compartment, Joey shook everyone else awake. "Sorry, but I think you guys need ta hear this. Tèa had some kinda loopy dream about Yugi."

"It wasn't a 'loopy dream,'" Tèa protested. "More like a nightmare." Quickly she repeated what details she could recall to the others.

"Wheels?" Tristan clapped a hand to his forehead. "Red and black? I don't get it. What did he mean? I mean, assuming that wasn't just wishful dreaming on Tèa's part-- sorry, Tèa, we've got to consider that."

"Where you can't tell the night from the sunrise." Mai nibbled her lip. "Well, I suppose it could be a big city-- city lights can make the night look so bright it's hard to be sure it IS night-- but there are a lot of big cities in the world too, to paraphrase Pegasus." She looked over at Pegasus as she spoke, then stared. "Pegasus?"

Very softly, Pegasus began to sing under his breath:

_"There's a sign in the desert that lies to the west_

_where you can't tell the night from the sunrise_

_and not all the King's horses, nor all the King's men_

_have prevented the fall of the unwise_

_And they think it will make their lives easier_

_for God knows up till now it's been hard_

_but the game never ends when your whole world depends_

_on the turn of a friendly card..."_

"Real nice, dere, Peggy, you should go on stage. Mind lettin' us in on what dat was about? Unless ya just think life needs a soundtrack or something."

"I know where Yugi is." Pegasus frowned.

"What? WHERE!" Yami grabbed the older man's lapels. "Tell us!"

"I don't know PRECISELY where," Pegasus said, "but if that truly was Yugi, he's just narrowed it down to one city." He raised a hand, pointing at Yami's fists, locked in fabric. "Mind letting go of the coat now?"

Yami let go--reluctantly.

"What I just quoted are part of the lyrics to a song by a group called the Alan Parsons Project. They did an entire album themed towards gaming and gambling--and what it could do to people." Pegasus smiled. "Trivia time. Which North American city is known as 'the City of Lights' because the illumination from it is so immense it can be seen from space? Answer: Las Vegas. And where does it lie? In the deserts of Nevada, to the west. And where would you find wheels that never stop? In a casino, of course. A roulette wheel... which is colored--"

"Red and black!" Tristan crowed.

"Exactly. It certainly sounds as if Yugi is trying to direct us towards a casino. So our next step--" he bowed slightly in Yami's direction-- "If I may, our next step should be to search for a casino with ties to Diaz."

"How do we do that?" Tristan asked. "I mean the guy's not likely to've hung out a sign or anything."

"No... no he isn't. Not one that you'd think of as 'a sign', no. But I happen to know just a bit about being rich (funny thing, that, but there you are). Finance implies earnings of one sort or another. Earnings implies--"

"A business!" exclaimed Tèa. "He has ties with a business somewhere. He has to earn his money somehow. Don't they have to list the company officers when they incorporate themselves?"

"They do, and that is a matter of public record. Mind you, Diaz COULD be independantly wealthy, but even then he must have investments, bank accounts, something of the like. Let's stay with the idea of business ties for right now, though. We should begin by investigating the owners of casinos in Las Vegas and see if we can locate one that lists Diaz Russio as a corporate officer, member of the Board of Directors, or partner. If we find such, we can be reasonably certain that's where Yugi is. With my connections, that should be simple enough, though it might take a few hours."

Yami nodded once. "Make it so."

"As you command."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Tristan stretched and cracked his neck, trying to ease some of the tension out of it. "I like websurfing," he murmured to himself, "but I think I'm getting webwaterlogged." He looked over to his left, where Pegasus _(still getting used to that, who would've thought?)_ was running his own research, trying to track down Diaz. "Gonna grab a break, man," he said. "Can I get you anything?"

"Some coffee might be nice, thank you." As Tristan continuted to stand there, Pegasus glanced up. "Something?"

"Ah, don't mind me. I'm still tripping out over all this. Mostly you sitting in our living room at the moment." Tristan paused, searching for the right words, then added, "You... do a pretty good job of hiding the real Maximilian Pegasus."

"Hm." Pegasus chuckled. "I suppose I do. Second nature by now."

"How d'you take that coffee?"

"Three sugars, one cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon if you have it."

"Be right back." On his way to the kitchen, Tristan peered out the front window. Yami was sitting on the porchsteps, head lowered. He'd been sitting out there almost since they arrived. Something in his posture had told the others he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. _Can't be good for him, brooding like that. We're all worried about Yugi, about what that nutjob Diaz means to do with him, but I get the feeling the Pharoah blames himself for all of this, and the more he thinks about it, the worse things are getting. _

How MUCH worse, no one knew but Yami himself, and he was doing his best to conceal it. Deep within him a red fury was building. Part of him wanted to call forth the God-Monsters and hunt Diaz down, no matter how long it took, no matter what or who he had to move through to do it.

_Is that not my right? I am the voice of the gods. If I so choose, no one is above my judgement. There must be someone who knows where Diaz has gone. They will tell me, or I will leave their cities broken to dust around them-- _Yami caught himself, made his clenched fists open. _No. No. Patience. I am not a destroyer. Diaz deserves my vengeance, but there are too many innocent lives that would suffer if they were caught between us._

_What of it?_ whispered that darker side. _I am Pharoah! Let the world tremble before me, and soon enough they would bring Diaz to me. I need only put forth my hand--_

_NO!_ Yami set his teeth and pushed that line of thought away.

For the moment.

_Yugi..._ Yami drew a deep, shuddering breath, let it out slowly. _How wrong you were, we both were. You've always felt you needed me more than I needed you. Now, see, the truth at last. Without you, I'm losing my compassion, my humanity. My... _He laughed softly, bitterly. _My humility. How ironic. The very pride and arrogance you reminded me I must master now threaten to master ME. I myself may become as monstrous as anything ever unleashed by those I've fought against in the past._

_But not without a struggle._

A hand on his shoulder. Yami jerked, startled. "Tèa," he said, relaxing.

Tèa held out a small tray with a glass and a sandwich. "You need to eat. I don't guess ghosts get hungry, but right now you're not a ghost."

"No. I am very solid. Thank you." He accepted the tray of food and set it atop his knees. "Anything?"

"Nothing yet. They've been going at it pretty solidly for the past four hours, though, I'm sure they'll find something soon." Taking a seat, Tèa peered into Yami's face. "It'll be all right, Pharoah. We'll find him. We're doing everything we can."

"I know. It.. doesn't make the waiting any easier." Yami studied her. "...Forgive me."

"Huh? For what?"

"For... everything. For losing him. For bringing him, and all of you, into this to begin with. There are times I feel that my release from the Puzzle and my association with Yugi has been more of a burden to him, and by extension all of you, than a blessing."

"That's not your fault, and nobody thinks of you as a 'burden'.. Okay, sure, things have been... more than a little extreme at times. You're not holding us hostage, you know. Any of us-- me, Joey, Tristan, Mai, all Yugi's other friends-- we could all walk away from this if it got too much. We COULD," she insisted as the Spirit shook his head. "We don't, because we believe that if we all stick together, we can get through any problems. Look at it this way, at least the world isn't threatening to fall apart around us."

"Right now," muttered Yami. Then he smiled a bit. "You're right, Tèa. There have been times when all hope seemed lost, yet we survived. I must hold onto that hope, or there's no use trying to begin with."

"THAT's the spirit." Tèa giggled. "Sorry, pun unintentional."

"Don't apologize. I need something to laugh about." Yami gazed off into the distance.

"Oh-oh, there you go again, drifting off into your own little world." Tèa waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Just like our 'date', remember?"

"I'll never forget. That was all Yugi's idea, you know. I had nothing to do with it. Not that it wasn't enjoyable, however. Please don't think I found your company tedious."

"You know, I never did really thank you for taking that Johnny Steps guy down a peg or two." Tèa smiled. "Looking back, he wasn't really such a bad guy, was he? He just thought he had to be a certain way to impress people. That's something a lot of us think, that we have to do certain things or act a certain way to get along in the world." Gently she put a hand atop his. "It's okay, sometimes, to let other people know we need help, or to let them know how we feel about them. I think that's really what Yugi was trying to show you that day. I just wish it didn't always take a kick in the seat from life to get us to realize it, but some people are pretty hard-headed, huh? That goes for... for both of us."

"I..." Yami fell silent. Hesitantly, almost shyly, he reached out, put his hand atop Tèa's. "Tèa..."

"This isn't the time, I know. But we have a lot to talk about, the three of us." Tèa leaned over and gave Yami a gentle kiss on the cheek. "We'll get Yugi back. I know we will. And when we do, I'm going to tell him exactly what I'm telling you now: both of you are important to me and I don't want to lose either one of you." Giving his hand a little squeeze, Tèa let go and stood up, dusting off her jeans and opening the door. "I'm going back inside, see if there's anything I can do to help. If nothing else, I can start a fresh pot of coffee, though I think if Joey gets one more ounce of caffeine in him he'll explode. Good thing Mai's here to keep him reined in."

"YAHOO!"

"Huh?" Tèa stopped, looking down at the doorknob in her hand. "I haven't even gotten into the kitchen y--EEP! JOEY! Put me DOWN!"

"We found it, we found it!" Joey danced around, Tèa half-slung over his shoulders. "WaaaaHOO! Tris an' Peggy found Diaz!"

"Is it true?" Yami pushed his way past the pair. "Where?"

Pegasus turned in his chair. "Ladies and gentlemen, our next port of call is indeed Las Vegas. There is a fairly new casino on the Strip called 'L'Roi Des Jeux'. It's owned and operated by Sun Enterprises, which turns out to be a subsidiary of a certain Ragnarok Corporation. Ragnarok's CEO is... wait for it... Diaz Russio. I'd say that was a pretty large indicator, wouldn't you, hmmm? Particularly since the NAME of the casino translates as-? Any guesses?"

"Sounds familiar," Mai said, frowning in concentration. "That's French. _L'Roi_ is 'king'... oh." Her face paled slightly. "It means... King of Games."

The faintly amused look dropped from Pegasus's face. "Indeed. Diaz has been planning this quite some time, and taunting the whole world with it."

Tristan smacked one fist into the palm of the opposite hand. "Yeah, well, we're going to do a little more than taunt him. So what's the plan? Busting in and finding out where they've got Yugi locked up sounds good on the surface, but somehow I get the idea that's exactly what they want us to do."

"You bet it is." Mai folded her arms. "That would be just too easy, wouldn't it? We make a fuss, casino security escorts us behind the walls and we're never heard from again."

"Let's get there, to begin with. I'll get the plane reservations made." Pegasus moved over to the phone and dialled a number. Yami watched him go, then looked to the others. "I will return," he said simply, and left the room.

"Where d'you think he's going?" Tristan asked Joey.

"I know where SOMEONE's going if he doesn't put me down," gritted Tèa. "Straight to the emergency ward."

"Where are you, Thief?" Yami fingered the Puzzle as he walked around the house and into the back yard. "I know you're near. I wish to speak with you. Now."

"As Your Majesty commands." Ba-Khu'ra stepped out of the shadows. "What does the Lord of Egypt require of me?"

"Do NOT tempt me." Yami's eyes were cold. "It is more than your life is worth to give me any reason to be displeased with you at this time."

"How interesting." Ba-Khu'ra leaned on a tree idly. "Well, you have my attention, Pharoah."

"We will need all our resources if we are to make an assault on Diaz. He has magics at his disposal which we are unfamiliar with, and if we are correct, he has Yugi concealed somewhere in a place of business in Las Vegas, rather than in a private residence. Cunning and caution must be our bywords."

"A reasonable approach to the problem, but I fail to see what part you wish ME to play in this."

"You will be instrumental, but that is something we will discuss later. The present reason I wished to speak with you is that I require something of you. Earlier, you said the Millenium Eye was safe, hidden somewhere only you could find. I wish you to retrieve it and give it to me."

The Thief raised an eyebrow. "Oh really. And why do you imagine I would give back something that is mine by right? I won it from Pegasus in a Duel."

"I don't care how you came by it. I want it back. Ultimately the Millenium Items are mine to do with as I will. I AM, as you've acknowledged, Pharoah, no matter how mockingly it may've been said. You are as I am, an ancient spirit from Egypt, brought forth in this time by the power of a Millenium item, and as such I can also lay claim to being your rightful ruler. I'm willing to leave the Ring in your possession, but I WILL have the Eye."

"Now you truly do intrigue me, Pharoah. Have you at last begun to covet the power the Millenium Items represent?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? I don't know what argument you have with me, Ba-Khu'ra, but I'm sure you'll explain it to me, the moment you feel you have the upper hand. That is no concern of mine at this point, either. All I want is Yugi's safe return... and for that, I must have the Eye."

"I'm afraid I can't agree with that, Your Majesty."

"Your agreement is not necessary, only your obediance." The Eye symbol on the Puzzle lit up, echoing the symbol that flared into dazzling light on Yami's brow. "I am not of a kindly nature at this point, Ba-Khu'ra. If you do not agree to bring it to me willingly, I will tear the secret of its location from your thoughts by force." He smiled, the expression turning his eyes cruel instead of kind. "As you and I both know, the Puzzle is not designed for that purpose, so doubtless when I am done your mind will be less than whole. Choose your next answer carefully, then. Will you go and fetch me the Eye as I request?"

Ba-Khu'ra held perfectly still. The Pharoah's eyes were burning a deep crimson red, and there was no hesitation in their gaze; the Thief felt utterly assured Yami meant what he'd said. _There is no compassion in him, _he marveled.

_'Of course not.' _ Bakura stood at the Thief's shoulder, looking coolly over it at the Pharoah. _ 'Diaz took his compassion. They're not just in two different locations; Diaz has somehow cut Yami completely off from Yugi. There's no balance any more, no inhibition, no consideration.' _He favored Ba-Khu'ra with a sunny smile. _'I think you'd better give it to him.'_

_Did I ask for your input!_

_'No. But I AM here. I'm part of this equation too. Do you want me destroyed along with you?'_

Ba-Khu'ra grimaced. _...No,_ he reluctantly admitted.

_'I didn't think so. Shall we?'_

The Thief bowed his head. "I will bring the Eye," he agreed sullenly.

"A wise decision."

Laying a hand to the Millenium Ring, Ba-Khu'ra concentrated. A small patch of the air turned to shadow. He reached into the darkness, feeling about for a moment, then withdrew his hand and held it out to Yami. "Here."

Yami took the golden orb and studied it. "Good. You haven't attempted to deceive me. That wouldn't have been the best idea you ever had." He closed a fist about the Eye. "You will be traveling with us to Las Vegas. I will make further plans there, once we have seen what we are up against. I expect your full cooperation, without a repeat of this talk. Am I understood?"

"Hm." Ba-Khu'ra snorted, amused. "You know, for the first time, I'm almost starting to feel a little respect for you, Pharoah. --Yes, I understand. There won't be a need for us to have this.. 'talk'... again. But I do request the right to make any reservations I have known, not out of defiance, but out of practicality. I know more about the retrieval of... mislaid objects... than any of you do."

"When you offer me constructive advice, I will listen," Yami agreed.

"Then I am content."

Without another word, Yami turned on his heel and left.

"Pegasus."

Everyone turned to look that way. "Oh oh, storm clouds blowin' in," Joey said under his breath. "Wonder what Peggy did..."

"I dunno, man." Tristan also watched as Yami strode across the room. "He's been on kind of a hair trigger..."

"Hey, didja figure that out on ya own, or did somebody tell ya?"

Stopping in front of Pegasus, Yami looked up at him measuringly. "You told us that you regretted what you did in Duelist Kingdom. Do you truly wish to make amends?"

"I... but--"

"No. No 'but'. Yes, or no?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. Any reasonable human being would. But there IS no making up for it. I've already accepted that fact."

"Did you not wrong Yugi and I most of all? Wasn't Duelist Kingdom aimed primarily at us?"

"Yes..." Pegasus looked uncomfortable. "What is the point of all of this?"

"You will agree that as the party most wronged, it is within my right to decide what is and is not reparation, will you not?"

"That's... that's justifiable, yes, I believe I could accept that viewpoint."

"Then I will tell you how you may atone in full." Yami held out his hand, on which lay a glittering golden orb. "Take back the Millenium Eye, and use it in MY service, as one of my companions and advisors. If you do, I will hold whatever debt you owe me from those prior actions cancelled in perpetuity."

"WHAT da-! Jeez, am I hearin' dis? Yami, uh, Pharoah, uh, whatever, 'scuse me, but have you gone NUTS or somethin'!" Joey pushed forward. "I admit, Peggy here's been on da up an' up with us so far, but are you really sure you wanna sock that creepy Eye back into his head? Ain't dat what got us into trouble with him in da FIRST place?"

"I'm with Joe on this one," Tristan agreed. "How do we know Pegasus... I mean, what if the Eye does something and he spazzes out on us again?"

"We don't." Yami's eyes never left Pegasus. "But HE does." Softly he added, "I am giving you the chance to prove yourself, Pegasus, to the one who truly matters in this room. Shadi chose you as the bearer of the Millenium Eye. I cannot believe that he did so without reason, nor do I believe his judgement erred, only his timing. You were not prepared for the Eye then.

"You have run from it long enough. You have refused to face your fears long enough. Have you the courage to stand and fight? Have you the will to live your own life, rather than hide in your castle?"

Silence, broken only by Pegasus's shaky breaths as he stared at the Eye. One hand, faintly trembling, came up to touch, then close around, the cool metal orb. Turning away, he said over one shoulder, "This... might be a little unpleasant. I think I'll go upstairs, if you don't mind. Please overlook any... sounds."

"Boss..." from nowhere Busby appeared. "Do you want me to--"

"No. No, Doppleganger. Remain here. I have to make this choice alone." Pegasus walked up the staircase and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He steadied his hands, staring down at the Millenium Eye, which stared back at him dispassionately. He could already feel the power stirring in it, there for the taking. "Do I?" he whispered. "Do I have the courage?"

_Haven't I been running long enough?_

_Isn't the Pharoah right about that?_

One breath; another, on the exhalation of the third Pegasus thrust his palm up, shoving the Eye into the empty socket. He cried out in agony as the scar tissue stretched and tore, and screamed again when a searing pain pierced his head. Dropping to the floor, he writhed, feeling the Eye burning its way into him, forcing the flesh on that side to regenerate so that it could interweave itself into his optic nerve.

Then the pain stopped. In its place a blessed coolness, soothing, calming. Slowly Pegasus forced himself to his feet, fumbled for the cold water tap, splashed his face with water. After a few seconds he looked up.

In the mirror, one brown eye, one golden eye, and for the first time in years his depth perception was normal. As he watched, the edges of his vision blurred, layers overlapping as the Eye began to expand its vision into other realms. From below him the buzz of thought began to filter in as well, the words not entirely clear yet, but so easy to hear, all he had to do was Look--

With a supreme effort of will, Pegasus closed the Eye. Not literally closed it; merely shut it down, so that all he could see, all he could perceive, was the immediate physical world around him. It was something akin to tuning into a single conversation in the middle of a hundred others, and willfully shutting out all but what you wished to pay attention to. Difficult, but not impossible.

It was something he'd never done before. The last time he'd had the Eye, he'd let its sight fill his mind. He'd used it, constantly, without reserve, sometimes simply for the pleasure of being able to know. That was the danger of it, after all, the very human inclination to know, to understand, to SEE things no one else could. To gloat over the information stolen from minds that didn't even realize they were being pried into, their every secret and shame laid bare. To use that stolen information and turn things in his favor. Always in his favor.

It was still there, that temptation. It always would be, he knew it.

It no longer ruled him.

"Free," he whispered. "I'm free of it... I've done it..." He laughed aloud, for sheer joy and relief, then shouted, "I AM THE MASTER OF THE MILLENIUM EYE!"

Downstairs, Joey coked his head at the shout, then looked at Yami. "You sure about dis, pal?" he said quietly.

"I'm sure, Joey. Thank you for trusting me... and for speaking up when you thought I was making a mistake." Yami put a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "You... I value you very highly."

"Eyyyyy... Don't sweat it. I know who my friends are. I'm standin' right here with 'em. And dat's exactly where I'm gonna be. Don't worry, you ain't gettin' rid of Joey Wheeler any time soon." He gave Yami's hair a brief scuffing. "Just remember, King or not, I'm still bigger than you are. If I've gotta kick you in da pants to get you to wise up, I will."

"All this bonding is really nice," Mai said, "but does anyone remember we have a plane to catch?"

They touched down to grey skies that made the elaborate buildings seem ghostly, even with their colors and signs. Everywhere the signs, bright, gaudy with an air of perpertual Carnival.

A shrine to the Gods of Chance.

A hell for the ones without luck.

Las Vegas.

"Welcome to McCarran International Airport," the PA announced as the group moved through the terminal. "It is currently fifty-seven degrees and partly cloudy. Passenger pickup and drop-off is located on Level One of the Parking Garage. Convenience hotel check-in for the MGM Grand and Caesar's Entertainment hotels is located at Terminal One, Level One, near Baggage Claim. A variety of shuttle services, taxi stands, limousine services and car rentals are also accessible from the north, east and west sides of the baggage claim area. Thank you for visiting Las Vegas, and have a great day."

No one had much to say as they exited the terminal. Sensing this, perhaps, Pegasus just scanned the crowd of hopeful taxi drivers, tired travelers, tourists talking too loudly and excitedly, and settled on a lone grey limo, its smoked windows revealing nothing of what lay inside. "There's our ride." he said.

"Pretty cool," Tristan said. "How much is this setting you back, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Nothing at all. It's part of the family fleet."

"Wow." Tèa goggled. "Joey's right, we need to get one of these."

"Oh, you get tired of them soon enough." Mai's eyes twinkled. "Why do you think I prefer my Mustang?"

The limo took them out of town several miles, into the countryside surrounding the city. Once away from civilization, the land took on a bleak, abandoned air, as if it'd never heard of humankind and its works. It was something of a surprise to top a rise and see laid out before them a rolling green expanse, neatly fenced in, with horses galloping along the fencelines as they drove past. Wrought iron gates set in stone swung open, revealing a winding drive through, of all things, a light tree line.

"It's like an oasis," Tèa breathed. "What in the world-?"

"Artisian wells. Wonderful what you can accomplish in the desert with abundant water and lots of money for landscaping." As they drew up to the large Georgian-style house, Pegasus gestured. "Welcome to the family manor, everyone."

Joey tapped the window, indicating what lay beyond. "Family manor, as in YOUR family?"

"Mm-hmm." Pegasus nodded. "I thought it would be a little more private and discreet than a hotel."

"How many houses DO ya got?"

"Counting this one? Oo. The castle, here, the chalet in Switzerland, the beachhouse in Arruba, the nice little mountainside place in Japan... oh, yes, and the hunting lodge in Canada, though I really don't go there very often... six."

As the party approached the front portico, the great oaken door swung open and someone stepped out, shutting it after her. A neat, tidy little old lady, the very image of someone's genteel maiden aunt, snowy white hair in a bun atop her head, a ruffle of lace at the edges of her sleeves, a small cameo decorating her collar. She almost looked as if she'd stepped straight out of an 18th century novel. She folded her hands in front of her and looked Pegasus up and down with a shrewd pair of crystal-blue eyes. "Good afternoon, Mr. Pegasus," she said, with the faintest trace of a Bostonian accent.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Hutchins," he replied.

"Shall I have Richards unpack the car for you?"

"Please. We'll be staying several nights, I anticipate."

"Very good sir." Mrs. Hutchins paused, then the glitter of tears rose to her eyes and her hands crept out to take Pegasus's. "Maximilian, dear, you look so thin..."

Pegasus favored her with the sweetest smile imaginable, for a moment looking 10 years younger. "Well, I haven't had any of your delicious cooking, now have I? tch Come now, this isn't like you at all..." he said, reaching automatically for a handkerchief as the woman stifled a sob.

"Thank you sir," Mrs. Hutchins said, delicately dabbing at her eyes as she turned away, composing herself. "Here, let me show you and your guests in."

"Ah ah ah, manners first, Mrs. Hutchins. Isn't that what you told me many a time?" To the others he said, "This is my housekeeper, Patrice Hutchins. She's been with the family for oh, must be--"

"Now that's enough," Mrs. Hutchins interrupted, shaking one finger at him reprovingly. "A gentleman never makes a lady's age a matter of discussion."

Pegasus chuckled. "My, I HAVE been away. Should I go find a switch now?"

Mrs. Hutchins looked up primly, but her eyes were twinkling. "Oh, I don't suppose it'll be necessary this time." She opened the door and led everyone into the cool, airy interior. Windows everywhere let the light in, shining off the cool blue-white walls and glowing on the wooden floors. Small statuary, paintings, and various other objects were scattered about the foyer and down the long hall, but all perfectly placed and carefully chosen not to seem daunting. "I've had the second floor rooms aired out, and Cook is awaiting you in the kitchen with the shopping lists."

"Knowing you, you've been up since dawn plotting and planning what to tempt me with," Pegasus remarked.

"Not QUITE dawn," Mrs. Hutchins said, hiding a small smile. "And who are these friends of yours, Maximilian?"

"This is Yugi Motoh and his friends-- Joey, Tristan, Tèa, Bakura-- and this is Mai Valentine."

Mrs. Hutchins smiled at them all. "How do you do. If there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to call on me." She led them into a grand common room, where a group of people, some clad in servant's uniforms, some in clean (but ill worn) suits, were lined up flanking the door.

"Did we fall into an episode of 'Masterpiece Theatre?" Tristan hissed to Joey.

"How should I know, you think I watch dat kinda highbrow stuff?"

At the end of the line stood an older black man, his salt and pepper curls framing a weathered but cheerful face. In his hands he held a small bouquet, the flowers still fresh with dew. Walking forward, he held it out. "Master Pegasus, sah," he said, deep voice enriched with the flavor of the islands-- Jamaica, perhaps, or Haiti. "Welcome home. It does these old bones good to see you once more in d'ese halls."

"Richards," Pegasus replied, inclining his head and taking the flowers, sniffing at them delicately. "Wild roses."

"Always your favorite, sah. Dey won' go away no matter how Laramie here mows them down." One of the men in Sunday go-to-best shuffled his feet and grinned sheepishly.

"It looks..." Pegasus turned in a circle, looking about him at the walls of the house. "It looks magnificent. It FEELS magnificent."

"Of course, sah. We kep' it just as if we 'spected to see you in d'hall any hour of day. But you must be tired. Let me see to your baggage."

"Please do. Oh, and Richards?"

"Sah?"

"Does my illustrious ancestor still barge up and down the halls on occasion?"

Richards broke into a chuckle. "He does, sah, and seems much put out when no one wants to join d'hunt."

"Well, perhaps we can persuade him to keep his voice down. My guests aren't exactly accustomed to the sound of a full fledged fox hunt at 4 AM. Not that he ever caught any of course..." He broke off and smiled charmingly at the youngsters. "Did I mention the house is haunted?"

"Haunted?" Tèa took a step closer to Yami.

"Mm, yes. My great-great-grandfather. He fancied himself an English country squire. Held regular hunting parties out here. Just ignore him, he's harmless." Turning to the housekeeper, Pegasus said, "Could you bring me a current street map and a small apricot brandy, both to my study upstairs? Before dinner, I and my friends have some business to discuss. Oh, and some light refreshments."

"Very good, Mr. Pegasus." Mrs. Hutchins made slight shooing motions with both hands at the other servants. "Off you go, then," she said. "Hop."

"What a marvelous old lady," Mai mused. "Wherever did you find her, Pegasus? I didn't think it was possible to find really good help these days."

"Patrice has been in the family since I was a child," Pegasus answered. "She all but raised me, which is why she's almost the only person in the world who can get away with calling me down. If you'll follow me..." He led them all upstairs to a room that would've fit into an English gentleman's club flawlessly. The brass fixtures, rich oak paneling and thick carpeting underfoot gave it almost an air of decadence. On the large table at the center of the room stood a brandy glass, a tray of small sandwiches, and a pitcher of lemonade. Beside that lay a rolled-up piece of blueprint paper.

Shifting the snacks to the side, Pegasus spread the street map out and pinned down the corners with some candlesticks, then stepped back. "This," he said, tapping a building, "should be Diaz's casino. As you see it's not quite on the major strip along with the Luxor and the like, but very close. What WE need to do is figure out how we're going to get in and what we're going to do when we get there. Suggestions, comments, ideas? I'm throwing the floor open at this point. Say anything that comes into your heads. We can't afford not to listen."

"Well..." Tèa laced her fingers together and thought. "We could just walk in like we're tourists. I mean, having Yugi imprisoned in a public place like a casino-- which has people coming and going ALL hours of the day and night-- isn't that bad an idea. It makes it hard to sneak in. But it works in our direction too, because he's not going to be able to just sweep down on us the moment we walk in, can he? As long as we're not stirring things up?"

"He will have to be discrete," Yami agreed. "He cannot use arcane means against us, not without risking more questions than he's willing to answer at this point."

"Maybe." Mai sat on the edge of the table. "Casinos CAN detain people if they just SUSPECT they're going to be trouble, Tèa, sorry to shoot down that notion. I don't think he would, because you're right about the rest, he doesn't want to stir attention. If we started shouting and complaining when the security personnel came up to us, that wouldn't look good. And if Diaz even knows we're there, he has to give the casino owner a good reason to detain us. Just his say-so isn't going very far, not even if he's higher in the food chain."

"Perhaps a disturbance is precisely what we need." Ba-Khu'ra moved over to study the map. "That would act as a distraction, allowing a small group to work their way in and investigate the rest of the building." He looked across the table at Yami. "That's what you meant by using my services, isn't it?"

"Yes. You and a few of the others. If there are guards, you will need assistance in overpowering them."

"I have all the assistance I need." Ba-Khu'ra tapped his Deck.

"No, Thief. That would certainly give us away. Do you think for a moment Diaz has no barriers or wards that will hinder our summmonings, or at least alert him of their presence? He isn't a fool. He must know we will come looking for Yugi, and if I were him I would assume I'd be found sooner or later, and plan for it."

"You have a point." Ba-Khu'ra bit his lip. "You do realize that puts the advantage to Diaz's security."

"What if we could foul that up somehow? Tthat warding or whatever," asked Tristan. "Like jamming the signal."

"How?"

"Easy. This is the gaming capitol of the world, right? So, c'mon, you can't tell me casinos wouldn't have their own Dueling Arenas. We stage a Duel there, with a couple of real famous players." Tristan pointed at Joey and Pegasus. "Got 'em right there."

"Wha?" Joey looked confused.

"Of course!" Yami struck the tabletop with a hand, elated. "A public challenge. Joey, you never got the chance to Duel Pegasus, and now here he is, in front of you. Wouldn't you want to test yourself against him?"

"Yeah, I s'pose... YEAH!" Joey's eyes lit up. "An' nobody can make a bigger racket than me!"

"Oh no, how will I survive?" Pegasus put a hand to his forehead, looking anguished. "Joseph Wheeler, second at Duelist Kingdom and Battle City finalist! I'll shred my cards now." He winked.

"Then it is settled." Yami gazed down at the table as if seeing past it, into the heart of the casino. "Let's all get an evening's rest so that we are at our best. Tomorrow, we begin our assault on Diaz's stronghold."


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

"A perfect breakfast, Mrs. Hutchins." Pegasus delicately patted his mouth with a napkin. "Give Jean-Claude my complements. I see his skills have only improved."

"Perhaps if you came around a little more often, he'd have more chances to impress you," the housekeeper said archly.

"OOOooo, to the heart!" Pegasus laughed. "I'll take it under advisement, I promise."

"Don't worry, Mrs. H.," Joey said as she passed him, "food like dat, it's a crime not t'share. I'll drag Peggy down here for ya. Course, I'll need a little something afterwards to build my strength back up..."

"Is all you think about your stomach, Joey? I'm beginning to wonder where you put it all." Mai teasingly poked him. You eat like you have a small army in your back pocket."

"If I may..." Yami stood, tucking a hand into his front pocket. The others quieted down. "Here is what I suggest. Joey, Mai, Tèa and I will go in first. According to the publicity flyer from the Chamber of Commerce--" he held up a small brochure-- "the casino has a public area with a cafe and some small shops at the very front, with a dueling arena and game arcade to the left and the actual gambling to the right. We will simply take a seat at the cafe, perhaps order something light to eat.

"About 15 to 20 minutes after we've entered, Pegasus will walk in. This is his home town, someone is bound to recognize him. When the crowd starts to gather, it will, naturally, attract our attention. Joey can 'catch sight' of Pegasus and work himself up into issuing a challenge. We then proceed to the arena and give them what they want to see."

"And meanwhile, Bakura, uh, Ba-Khu'ra and I slip in the back?" Tristan said.

"Yes. Hopefully so. If we're lucky, the casino workers on the floor will be too busy keeping an eye on the crowd we draw to worry too much about the outside. There are certain to be concealed security cameras on the outside, however--"

"However," Ba-Khu'ra broke in, "I think those security cameras can be fooled easily enough." He tapped the Ring significantly.

"Do not overtax yourself," Yami warned. "The Ring was not meant to conceal, but reveal."

"I'm aware of that. But all I need is a few seconds' distraction to get us past the cameras' arc of vision. There IS no such thing as a true 360 degree field of vision for a fixed mount camera. They will be set to overlap one another's fields, but if we move quickly enough we can manage, I think. The trick will be getting the door to open, and that is my field of expertise." He looked at Tristan with a smirk. "Just make sure you don't fall behind."

"Don't worry, I'm going to stick to you like glue," Tris promised. "Anyway: after that, we hit the service corridors. Every big business like this has 'em, so the employees can move around out of sight of the public. We find the security room, take out any personnel there, and use their own monitor system to look around for any sign of Yugi."

"I can't stress to you how important it is that we move as quickly and quietly as possible, Tristan. Our chief weapon is surprise. We are outnumbered, therefore we cannot afford to make a stand."

"I gotcha, Pharoah."

"Once you DO know where he is, the more dangerous part begins. You and the Thief must somehow find a way to liberate him."

"Wish I was going with ya, bro," Joey told Tristan.

"You've got a job to do. We'll be fine. Trust me."

"When we have found Yugi," Ba-Khu'ra finished, "Pegasus will let you know. He will be keeping constant tabs on us all with the help of the Millenium Eye. When we have completed our portion of the mission, the Duel will end and we will all make our respective ways out of the casino."

"Let's hope it goes as planned." Mai shrugged a shoulder. "Murphy's Law, you know, anything that can go wrong will."

"Yes. But luck has often been on our side, and in a sense this is a temple to the fortunes." Yami smiled wryly. "Perhaps today we will please the fates by tempting them."

L'Roi Des Jeux.

The sign over the door said as much, in an elegant swirl of neon surrounded by arabesques. The exterior of the building itself suggested the Middle East, and from somewhere hidden speakers broadcast music just barely at the level of normal hearing. Carefully selected tropical flowers by the arched entrance filled the air with their perfume, a heady scent that spoke of far-away places. It might almost have been something out of the 'Arabian Nights'.

Inside, the lingering traces of sandlewood and cedar washed over anyone entering, and the dim coolness of the place banished the hustle of the street outside. It took one a moment to let the eyes and ear adjust, for even though there was a busy arcade on one side and a casino on the other, the walls were so constructed to help baffle sound, giving the building a feelilng of distance, of calm, like a still pool of water.

But still waters, so they say, run deep.

Down the very center of the building, dividing the two sides, ran a double row of small shops and cafes, with twin fountains spanning the space between. The whole thing was designed to suggest an oasis of civilization and pleasure, and it rather succeeded, as a whole.

"Beautiful," Yami murmured, taking it in slowly.

"I'LL say." Tèa clasped her hands, delighted. "Have we got time for a quick shopping run...?"

"NOW who's gotta one-track mind? I don't wanna ever hear anyone complainin' about me and food again." Joey smiled at Mai. "How ya holdin' up dere?"

Mai smiled back. "Not bad, all things considered."

"Never thought I'd be walkin' around a classy joint like this with a lady like you on my arm. I feel like Cinderella-- though I guess in my case it oughta be 'Cinderfella', huh?"

"Why, Joey, you surprise me. I didn't know you liked Jerry Lewis movies."

"Yeah, a few of 'em. Mostly I like Hope an' Crosby though, da Road pictures."

"Really." Mai studied him. "That's a little before your time, you know. My time too."

A casual shrug. "American Movie Classics on cable, what can I say."

"What else do you like to watch?" Mai paused, a little thoughtful look on her face. "Come to think of it, what else DO you like to do? I've never seen you outside of a tournament, so I have no idea."

"Dueling, but then you could kinda figure dat one out, like ya said. Old movies-- yanno, da film noir kinda stuff, 'Key Largo', 'Kiss Me Deadly', dat sorta thing-- but some of the old comedies too. Oh, yeah, and mysteries. I love a good mystery. Dere's dis one, it's kinda both, you ever heard of it, 'The Thin Man'?"

"With William Powell and Myrna Loy? Joey, I LOVE that movie!"

"Yeah? No kiddin'! Maybe you could, yanno, come down t'Jankenpon some weekend, we could rent some movies an' watch 'em..." Joey looked down, suddenly bashful. "I know it ain't exactly the kinda high-life you're used to, Mai, but--"

"Hey." Mai reached out, turned Joey's face to hers. "Maybe I get enough of the 'high-life' every other day of the week. I'd like that. You name the weekend, I'll bring the popcorn." She laughed a little. "You're full of surprises, aren't you, Joey? I never would've imagined."

_And I didn't,_ she mused as they strolled along the walkway. _You're so different than all the other men I've met, Joey. You're a tough guy, sure, but under that tough you've got a heart as big as a mountain. Maybe... maybe it's about time I started spending a little MORE time finding out about Mr. Joey Wheeler._

Outside, a small group of people wandered down the sidewalk. In a moment where there were perhaps a few less people in sight than usual, Ba-Khu'ra touched his chest gently-- well, touched the invisible Millenium Ring, rather-- and closed his eyes. _Forget us, _he thought. _You see no one, nothing, pass on. It's not important. You see without seeing. You notice nothing. We are no one you wish to remember. _

And everyone else on the street besides them... saw nothing.

"Now," he whispered. He and Tristan darted down an alleyway between the casino and another building, some kind of restaurant or specialty shop apparently, and pressed up against a wall, scanning down its length. Tristan nodded towards a barely visible door near the very end of the alleyway with a small box of some type beside it. "I think that's your mark," he whispered. "Can you keep us shielded while you pick it?"

_'Tell him yes,'_ Bakura said. _ 'And let me handle the Ring.'_

_What?_ Ba-Khu'ra had the grace to sound startled.

_'You'll need to concentrate on the lock, but are two people in this body, just as there are two people when Yugi and Yami are around. I think I can manage to keep up our concealment, if you'll let me. I know I don't have your expertise at using a Millenium Item, but what have you got to lose?' _

_...Very well, if you think you can, try._ Ba-Khu'ra bent himself to the task of getting the door open, ignoring the ghostly hand resting around the Ring. When the lock popped open, he motioned Tristan inside, then slipped after him and reached for control of the Ring. To his surprise, Bakura yielded readily. _That... was well done, _he admitted grudgingly. _I hear no alarms, no one commenting on our disappearance. _

_'Thank you. But, you know, I'm rather surprised you let me do as much as I did.' _

The smirk dropped off Ba-Khu'ra's face momentarily. _We are, as you've pointed out, in this together. And while I am the more experienced in using the Ring, you are the one who is ultimately more familiar with this world and its ways. Perhaps it is time I taught you the Ring's powers, against the day that I am somehow constrained from doing it for you. _The next words nearly choked him, but he added, _There was a time when I would never have dreamed of doing so, but things are different now. I can accomplish more if I have your willing cooperation, rather than having to struggle to restrain you._

_'I see... thank you, Ba-Khu'ra.'_

The Thief snorted. _Thank me when we SURVIVE this._

Meanwhile, Tristan was flat against the wall, looking up and down the hallway they were in. _Reminds me of Pegasus's castle, _he thought and half smiled. _Man, that was a wild ride. Okay. Focus, Tris. Places like these have a whole rat's nest of service corridors-- thank you, Security Officer Mike Morris, for inviting me to take a tour of the mall AFTER hours. Playing D&D in a deserted mall, yeah, that's good training for a career of breaking and entering. _

_Point is, if we're careful, we can get anywhere inside this building that we need to without the customers knowing a thing. And, hopefully, the big guy. _"Ba-Khu'ra," he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. "Hear anything?"

"No," the equally quiet whisper came back.

"Okay. I'll take the front, you take the back-- and keep an ear out for anyone sneaking up on us."

A slight chuckle. "Trusting soul, aren't you, putting me at your back? But I agree. You should be able to handle anything in front of us. If there's too much trouble, however..." Ba-Khu'ra drew his deck, holding it firmly in one hand. "Then remember to step aside."

"Don't count me out of that game either." Tris glanced back at Ba Ku'ra significantly, one hand reaching into his trench and bringing out his own deck. "I might have a few card tricks, too."

Ba-Khu'ra raised an eyebrow. "Oh, VERY good. I seem to've underestimated you for the second time. You're quite full of surprises, aren't you, Tristan Taylor."

Tristan met Ba-Khu'ra's gaze squarely. "When my friends are in trouble? Depend on it. Which you should also remember."

The other boy simply nodded. "Shall we?"

Yami trailed after the others, staying at Tèa's shoulder, looking around. Of course he'd seen game arcades before. Yugi loved to visit them, particularly with Tèa, and watch admiringly as she played DDR. He enjoyed that as well-- she was the height of nimble grace when she danced, he thought. And many of the games were fascinating to play. With Yugi's spirit united with his, he could understand and enjoy so much...

Now he simply felt uneasy. Irritable. 'Grumpty', as Yugi would put it.

He drew close to watch Joey and Mai at the toy machine, the sense of something improper growing. After watching his friend try and fail several times, Yami scowled. _ It isn't quite fair, this machine, _he thought. _There IS a chance of winning, but only with the best of fortune. _A smirk spread over his features. _Well then. _He surveyed the rest of the arcade. _This once I think will teach its owners humility, having the odds for once being perfectly even... _

The Eye symbol on the Millenium Puzzle glowed oh so faintly, invisible in the glow of the games beside them.

And people began to rack up high scores all over the room. Numbers tumbled, bells rang, strobes flashed. Yami laughed lightly, feeling better than he'd felt for many days, looking at the excited young faces surrounding them. He tucked a hand casually around Tèa's waist and gave her one of his slow smiles as the claw dropped a plushie Harpie Lady down the chute into Mai's waiting hands. "Perhaps I should try to win YOU something," he murmured.

Startled, Tèa looked at him, then blushed. "Um, if you wanted to..." she peered through the glass. "Maybe-- oh, could you try for the Dark Magician Girl? I've liked her ever since the Virtual World. I don't think I would've won if she hadn't helped me out."

"As you desire." He took his place at the controls.

The faintest sound overlapping from the casino echoed through the corridor, seeming to originate from an open doorway about halfway down on the lefthand side. From the right of the T-junction, a television could be heard, the channel set to some anonymous sports channel. Ba-Khu'ra closed his eyes briefly, the better to concentrate and sort out the sounds. "A lounge, I think," he whispered. "For the guardsmen of this place to relax between their shifts."

"Yeah," Tristan added. "I'm getting a little smell of fast food Probably someone warmed his stuff up in the microwave. So.. that would make that... the first security booth," and he nodded to the left. "They're probably watching the casino floor."

"That will do." Ba-Khu'ra slipped around the corner and crouched. "I will immobilize the guards." He eased down the hall in a crouch, pausing to peer cautiously around the jamb of the door. A smirk surfaced as he saw the four men, all concentrating on an array of tiny screens that were constantly flicking up new scenes. _Now then...yes. _He gripped the Ring. It wasn't made for this, but for the short-term it would do. "You, closest to the door," he breathed. "Make an excuse and come to me."

The nearest guard stiffened slightly, then stood up. "Gonna grab a soda," he said. "Be right back." He stepped out and stood to attention, eyes blank. As soon as he was clear of the room, Ba-Khu'ra laid his will on the other three to hold them still and silent. It was harder than he'd expected; it was all he could manage to keep the four men under control. _If only I had the Millenium Rod... _he gritted his teeth, feeling himself about to lose the mental tug-of-war.

A translucent hand laid over his and the struggle eased, as Bakura lent his will to the task. _'Now, hurry!'_

Standing, Ba-Khu'ra turned to his controlled captive. "Go in and knock out your fellows," he ordered. "Then find a secure room or closet and lock yourself in. Make sure you cannot unlock it again."

"As you command," the guard mumbled, and did so. Ba-Khu'ra watched him walk off down the corridor, then dragged an arm across his forehead, relaxing. "The guardpost is ours. I trust you can manage these machines."

"Give me a second." Tristan sat down and studied the control panel. "I think... yeah. This looks a lot like the system Mike, uh... oh hell. I had a friend once who ran security in a shopping mall. He took me back into the office there once, showed me how the system worked. This board looks like an upgraded version of his. As long as you don't ask me to do anything too fancy, I should manage." He flipped through the camera views. "Where do we start?"

Ba-Khu'ra leaned over to look at the screens, frowning. "The problem is, he could be almost anywhere. You must remember, we are speaking about Yugi's soul. His BODY is in the game arcade. It could be almost any object at all that's holding his spirit. I would wager though that it's something small and probably crystal or gemstone of some type. It is easier to make a soul trap out of such a thing. Even one of Pegasus's soul cards, which are the size of a Duel Monsters card. But those were created with Shadow magic, so I doubt Diaz will be using a card. Far more likely to be a crystal of some type, as I said."

"Bet it's in plain view though," Tristan said. "I mean, c'mon. Diaz likes to show off, we've already got that, right, the name of the casino? So, it would probably give him his jollies to have Yugi somewhere that he-- I mean Diaz he, not Yugi he-- could walk past him or by him or around him every day. Maybe even somewhere out of the floor of the casino or arcade. Kind of like the purloined letter thing. Nothing's better hidden than when it's in plain sight. And think about it, too-- he probably gets off on the idea of knowing there are people all around Yugi, and the poor kid's unable to make anyone know he's there." Tris's eyes narrowed. "Which, if I'm right, is an even bigger reason to just rock Diaz's world. I hope I get a chance to punch the guy right in the gut."

The sleek silver sedan pulled up just at the curb, the driver immediately getting out and handing the keys to a parking attendant. "DO be careful," Pegasus said, "I just had it waxed." He threw a languid glance at the front of the casino. "Oh how quaint. It's positively Moroccan."

He glided in, pausing at the entrance to survey it casually, letting the crowd--and the employees-- get a good look at him. Through the murmur of the crowds he caught the undercurrent of thoughts:

_Wow, who's the looker-- _

_That's a Rolls out-- _

_Is that Maximilian Pegasus? _

_Isn't he dead? _

_Maximilian Pegasus? Here! _

Pegasus zoomed in on that thoughtline immediately, casting the others aside.

_It IS Pegasus. I better call the boss, upstairs. _

Pegasus smiled, knife thin and coolly amused._ Yes, yes, little man, call 'the boss', by all means. Let him know a particularly nice prize just walked in off the street. The more eyes on me, the better. _Simultaneously he reached out again, fishing for a particular set of minds--one set in the arcade to his left, and one somewhere to the rear of the building--found them, and 'whispered' to them:

_The festivities may now start. _

In the arcade, Yami raised his head. "I believe we are set."

"Yep, dat's my cue." Joey sauntered towards the door, Mai in tow. "How's about a soda, Mai? Hey, what's dat, over by the door?"

"Don't know, looks like a crowd of some kind." Mai stood on tiptoe, craning her neck. "Well, well, we DO have distinguished company. It's Maximilian Pegasus."

"PEGASUS!" Joey's face turned stormy. "That rotten no good playboy? Sorry, babe, but I gotta bone to pick with that weasel." He stormed out into the crowd, pushing his way through. "Yo, Pegasus. YO! RICH BRAT! C'mere a second!"

Hearing the voice, Pegasus turned and arched one brow mildly, looking Joey up and down. "My, look at the... interesting people the wind sweeps in around these parts," he drawled. "Joseph Wheeler. The ALSO-ran in Duelist Kingdom." Reaching up, he tugged the strings of his tie loose, gently sliding it to and fro as he smirked.

"I'll 'also-ran' you, ya loser! Remember, my pal Yugi beat you so bad you ain't been seen in public from dat day to dis! But I guess I'm lucky ya showed up." Joey sneered. "Cause now I gotta chance to prove who's da REAL also-ran here. I challenge ya to a Duel, RIGHT here, RIGHT now!"

"Feeling lucky today are you, hmmmm? Well I suppose it's possible your luck might've turned for the better. Your Dueling skills certainly haven't, I'm sure. But if you're so eager to humiliate yourself, who am I to deny you the chance? I'll just apologize to Kaiba next time I see him for taking away his favorite whipping boy." Pegasus tied the string tie again with a low chuckle. "I accept your challenge."

"Fine by me. Dere's a Duelin' Arena right over dere." Joey pointed. "Bring it on, Smarm-meister."

Pegasus stepped lightly up to the Dueling platform, shuffling his deck as he watched Joey take the place across from him. He was a little surprised to find his hands shaking just perceptibly. _Three years, _he mused. _Three years since I touched these cards. _

_Well, I suppose we're all wondering the same thing, aren't we. Have my Dueling skills atrophied because I relied too much on the Millenium Eye? I certainly didn't hold my own against Kaiba last time we played._

_I'm excited, yes. I love this game. That hasn't changed. _

_But do I still have what it takes to Duel? _

He tossed back his hair idly, using the motion to cover the quick glance around. Everyone there: Tèa, Yami, Mai. _We're starting now,_ he 'said' for the benefit of the more distant team. _Good luck, Joey... don't go TOO hard on this poor old man, I'm likely to be rusty. _

And with that, he narrowed the Eye's range, keeping tabs on Ba-Khu'ra and Tristan, but shutting out Joey's thoughts.

_Win or lose.. I will do this on my own. _

"Let's begin, shall we?" he purred aloud. "Hmmm, what to do, what to do... I suppose I'll just play Red Archery Girl, in defense mode.. oh, and THIS card," he added, setting something in the Trap/Magic Zone. "And I'm done."

"See anything?"

"I see a great MANY things. If you mean 'do I see anything of the sort we're seeking', no."

"Fat lot of help you are." Tristan chewed his lower lip. "Wait. Wait a second. Back on the island, you said you tried to locate Yugi?"

"Yes. And it didn't work."

"Try looking for what's HOLDING his soul. Doesn't that count as a different object?"

Ba-Khu'ra stared. "...All right," he said, "NOW you impress me." Immediately he seized the Ring. "Millenium Ring, reveal to me the location of the object that holds Yugi Motoh's soul."

Instantly the pointers lifted, pointing above and ahead of them.

"That's good, right?" Tristan asked, watching the Ring react.

"In a sense. The object IS here, above us somewhere. But the Ring cannot clearly determine the exact degree left or right of us."

"Still narrows the search." Tristan thumbed a different set of switches. "Let's check the upper floor now."

As the cameras panned across the top floor of the casino, they picked up a long circular walkway, almost a landing, that ran all the way around the top interior of the building. Various pieces of art were placed here and there, along with low benches placed so that people could if they wished sit (or kneel) on them and look out over the entire floor of the establishment, watching the action.

Suspended from the ceiling itself was a huge stained-glass reproduction of a Mucha print, a young woman wreathed in filmy robes, one delicate hand outstretched to hold a globe that floated just above her palm. There was obviously a skylight just above that let in the light to make the stained glass an ever-shifting array of color--

especially the globe, which seemed almost to glow with a light from within.

"There!" Ba-Khu'ra almost shoved Tristan forward into the controls as he leaned in, one finger jabbing at the screen. "That!"

"Great! Now, gedoffame," Tristan said in his best Joey imitation. "You realize we've got a whole new set of problems? How do we get to it? We might be able to get someone up there if they stood on my shoulders-- MIGHT-- but I can't tell from here how thick that glass is or how well it's set in the frame. I'm gonna guess it's pretty lightweight, or its own weight would've made it crack in the middle by now. If it IS glass. Might be plexiglass for all we know."

Ba-Khu'ra kura moved to the other side, also studying the picture intently. "I don't think it's plexiglass, whatever that is. It has the luster of true glass. You are correct about the thinness, in order to decrease weight the glass would have to be thin. I doubt the glass itself would support any of us. The frame might, though. Or perhaps it lowers so that the glass panes and the skylight above it can be cleaned."

"One thing, we need to get moving again. We don't know when the next shift's supposed to show, and if they get here to an empty room-- or worse, a room full of us-- the alarm goes up." Tris tapped the monitor. "Let's see if we can get up there and take a better look at the thing. That might help us figure out how to reach that snowglobe Yugi's stuck in."

The duo hastily exited and headed down the hallways. Twice they had to duck into hiding as a few of the casino workers came down the hall, but fortunately none of them continued towards the security station. At last they reached a door marked 'Upper Level' and eased it gently open, finding themselves alone (for the time being) on the circular balcony.

Cautiously Tristan peered over the edge, then looked again, this time in fascination. "Whoa, check it," he said. "From here you can see the whole floor of the casino. Even the dueling arena. Looks like things are just starting to heat up a little."

"Why don't you keep an eye on the crowd and let us know if anyone appears to be looking this way," Ba-Khu'rakura suggested. "I don't think they will, most gamblers tend to be rather focussed on the game, rather than their surroundings." He swept back his bangs and looked up some 15 feet to the stained-glass display. "Your shoulders will not serve us here. That is further up than it appeared." He idly drummed his fingers on his deck, thinking. "I wonder if it's warded."

"Can't you use the Ring?" Tris asked.

"That is not the Ring's purpose. However, I can do ONE thing, now that we are this close." Gripping the metal circle, the Thief focussed on it. "Millenium Ring, reveal to me the location of the soul of Yugi Motoh."

One pointer immediately swung up to point straight at the glass display, slightly to one side.

"That confirms it. He's up there. It MUST be that crystal inset."

"So we just have to get it down." Tris swept his gaze over the casino floor again. "Uh, problem. We've got suit sign. There are a whole lot of Italian gangster extras moving through the crowd towards the arcade side. "

"What?" Ba-Khu'ra joined Tristan at the railing. "Damn! Those men in black?"

"Yep. Looks like security to me. Something must've gone wrong. Maybe the guards we took out have to report in every so often, and when they didn't it alerted our pals down there something was up. I think we need to get Yugi out of there and get ourselves back together with our friends _muy pronto_, as the banditos say." Tristan gazed at Ba-Khu'ra. "Any smart ideas? Maybe a ladder in your back pocket?"

"No, sorry." Ba-Khu'ra laughed slightly. "I am of the opinion, though, that this is what even the Pharoah would qualify as an 'emergency'. Therefore--" he drew a card off the top of his Deck. "Man-Eater Bug! Get up there and retrieve the globe from the glass. Carefully! Don't shatter either object."

The black-clad group of men quietly surrounded the Dueling Arena (well, not quite surrounded it-- they were trying to be subtle, so there were just four of them actually at the ring, one to each corner). As soon as they were in position, the leader spoke quietly into a walkie-talkie. "Ready."

At once the Dueling Arena flickered, flickered again.. and died. Groans came up from the crowd.

"What th-?" Pegasus glanced around, saw the security men, and swallowed hard, trying to keep a mask of annoyed surprise on his face rather than the brief panic he'd felt. "Excuse me, but what is the meaning of this! We are in a Duel here. This is inexcusable! "

"Sorry, Mr. Pegasus," one of the suited figures said respectfully. "We've been having some problems with the power system on the Arena lately. I'm sure the owner would like to offer his personal apologies to you and your opponent..." the man looked across the arena at Joey. "It isn't often we have Duellists of your caliber here, and we are sorry. If you'll just follow me...?" he extended a hand towards Pegasus. On the other side men were moving in toward Joey, Tèa, Mai and Yami.

"Wait a second here! I ain't going NOWHERE with you bozos." Joey whipped around on the man nearest him. "Your boss wants ta apologize t'me? Dunno why I should bother t'accept it anyway, if you guys knew dere was a problem with the machinery ya should've closed it down if you couldn't get it fixed. I just bet you ain't even told KaibaCorp dis hunk a'junk's on the fritz, have you? Is dis thing licensed? Is it even supposed to be IN here!"

He had the satisfaction of seeing the guard break a sweat.

On the other side, Yami was also glaring down a security guard. "I am not involved in this," he said firmly. "Nor is my companion." He put an arm around Tèa and drew her a step closer, as much to protect her as to remind himself to keep his temper in check. "Your employer's apologies by rights belong to our friend Joey, it's true, but I fail to see why you are troubling the rest of us to drop what we're involved in and come with you."

The guard swallowed quietly. "Ah, sir," he began, and cleared his throat. "You ARE Yugi Motoh, aren't you? You're a very respected Duellist, sir. I'm sure Mr. Russio simply wants to pay you his complements as well as apologize. This is very bad form--"

"Indeed it is." Yami's eyes narrowed. "You have begun to annoy me."

Upstairs, Tris leaned over to look towards the arena and cursed softly. "Don't see anyone headed for the stairs," he muttered, withdrawing again. "Guess they haven't figured out we're here yet. --This may wind up as a 'rescue everyone else' as well as a 'rescue Yugi' moment."

_Well, well. That's really fairly amusing. The Pharoah needing a mere Thief's help._

_'It is NOT amusing!'_ Bakura shot back, indignant. _'I'd rather get us all out of here without any trouble.' _

_That doesn't seem to be an option any more._ Ba-Khu'ra folded his arms and smiled cruelly. _Time to try things MY way. _

_'No.' _Bakura also folded his arms--at least, his inner self did, as he stood across from Ba-Khu'ra on the featureless 'landscape' of their shared mind. _'Absolutely not. I shan't have you setting our Duel Monsters loose on those men.' _

_And why not? They won't hesitate to use whatever force they need on US you know._

_'Because... because doing that makes us no better than them.' _

_ARE we better than them?_ Ba-Khu'ra raised an eyebrow. _You and I?_

_'Maybe YOU aren't but I am, by God.'_ Bakura clenched his fists. _'And I say no. Not unless there absolutely isn't ANY other alternative.' _

Ba-Khu'ra laughed soundlessly. _How do you intend to stop me?_

Bakura swallowed, hard, then clenched his fists. He'd never been one for confrontation, much like Yugi. But if the littlest Motoh could stand up for himself...

_'So can I.'_

_What?_

_'If you won't listen to reason, you'll listen to force!'_ Bakura shoved, mentally, spiritually, as hard as he could.

And opened his eyes, wondering why his fists were hurting, and realizing he'd clenched them so tightly the tips of his fingers were white.

"Hey, you okay?"

With a weak little smile, Bakura gave Tristan a nod. "Yes, I am," he said. "For the first time in a long time, yes. Thank you, Tristan."

Tristan gave him a puzzled frown; started to say something; grabbed Bakura by the upper arms. "Bakura!"

"Yes..."

"Great to see you, lousy sense of timing."

_'What are you DOING!' _The scream almost deafened Bakura. _ 'IDIOT! Release me at once!'_

_No._ Bakura gave Ba-Khu'ra a stern look. _I TOLD you I wanted my life back. I meant it. From now on this is an equal partnership. We work together, we live together, we cooperate with each other, and you, by Heaven, will LISTEN to me. I am sick and tired of being the facade you hide behind. I'm over being your excuse for anything you don't want to get caught at. I will be heard, I will have a say in what we do, and I will be free to do as I please. Have we an understanding?_

_'Bakura, I'm warning you-!'_

_HAVE we an UNDERSTANDING? If not, you know, I'll just let Diaz's men catch up to us and he can HAVE the bloody stupid Ring!_

_'You wouldn't...'_

_Try me._

Ba-Khu'ra was silent for a heartbeat. Slowly he started chuckling, then laughing out loud. _'How absolutely entertaining. Tristan isn't the only one I underestimated. Took you long enough to find your backbone, didn't it, my Light? All right. You win. I agree to your terms, since I have little other choice. This could turn out to be quite interesting. Now, will you let me out so that we can get on with the rescue?'_

_How about you just tell me what to do?_

_'Hm! Where is the trust in that?' _ The Thief waved a hand, still chuckling. _ 'Be it as you will.'_

"Come on, Tris," Bakura said, shaking his head a little. "Let's see what we can do to help the others. But first..." he held up a hand. "Man-Eater Bug?"

The Duel Monster made a faint chirruping sound and nodded, scrambling over the wall to the ceiling and out across the glass, which swayed a bit but didn't crack. One clawed hand closed gently on the globe inset into the panes, tugged on it. With a sudden click that sounded like a gunshot to the nervous pair below, the globe popped free. Holding it carefully, the Man-Eater Bug swarmed back down and handed the Sphere to Bakura. "Well done," he said, and patted the smooth carapace.

"Okay!" Tristan gave Bakura a thumbs-up. "So let's--" he was cut short by the sound of a door opening behind them. "Ut-oh..."

_"Ce qui sont vous faisant!" _a voice demanded. "What do you up here!"

"Junon," Bakura said, grimly.

Max's mind raced. _Should we-? No, too risky. _To Yami he 'said', _We can't go with them. _

_I agree._ Yami gave Pegasus the tiniest of nods. _There are too many cards face down. We don't know what Diaz is hiding to use on us. Here, we have the advantage of being in plain sight. Unless he's very desperate or very foolish-- neither of which he strikes me as-- he won't try anything with us but the mundane while we're in public view. _

_All right then--_ Pegasus huffed and folded his arms. "Well, if your employer wants to apologize to me, he can just come down HERE and apologize, where everyone can see it. I'm the wronged party, I expect a little professional consideration and courtesy."

The security chief bit his lip. It was beginning to look like Pegasus would be a problem. Moreover, they were beginning to attract just a little bit too much attention. His orders were to round up the Duelists quietly, and this was turning into anything BUT quiet. "Mr. Pegasus, I'm afraid I have to insist--"

"INSIST, is it? First you offer us a substandard piece of equipment to Duel on, then your employer wants to whisk us off to avoid the public humiliation of admitting his error in judgment. No, I think not. No. I'm no longer interested in you or your employer's apologies. I'm leaving, and trust me, I'll make sure that the public knows exactly how poorly prominent members of society and professional Duellists are regarded in this establishment." With that Pegasus stalked down off the dais.

A gloved hand closed on his free arm. "I'm very sorry, sir," the security chief said softly, "but you're causing a scene, now. Please come with me. ALL of you." He swept a glance round as his men stepped closer, seemingly to help steer the others through the crowd.

Yami took that chance to pivot, arms coming up, and lashed a foot into the stomach of the guard nearest Tèa. The man grunted and reeled back. "Tèa, Mai, quick, get to the emergency exit and open it. I don't care how." He fell back, spun, and somehow managed to wind up near Joey, facing the opposite direction, ready to take on anyone coming up from Joey's blind side.

Joey felt Yami's presence at his back and half-smirked. "I hope they taught Pharaohs to fight dirty," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "I don't think dese guys are gonna play fair, yanno."

"No, I wasn't taught to 'fight dirty'." A smile quirked the corner of Yami's mouth. "I was taught to win." As one of the guards made a grab for him, he slammed a forearm up under the man's chin and into his throat, followed by a knee to the gut. As soon as the man doubled up, he turned, all but diving into the crowd. "Joey! This way! Hurry!"

On the other side, a bit of color on a table ahead caught Pegasus's eye and he snatched it up, twirling the pool cue around like a staff. A well-placed blow to the side of the knee took the security chief's feet out from under him. Dropping the cue, Pegasus shoved a couple of onlookers who were gaping at him out of the way to make room for him. It was a little rougher than he'd wanted, but this wasn't any time for niceity. Quickly he scanned the crowd, the Eye letting his vision pass through the other people and home in on Yami and Joey. It looked like their attackers were momentarily off-balance. Tèa and Mai-- yes, over there, making for one wall. He plunged in, fighting his way towards them, since their current position left him a bit closer to the girls than to the boys.

Behind him, the security chief struggled to his feet. "GET THEM!" he bellowed, flushing with anger-- these, these KIDS and that limp-wristed society prick were making him and his men look like fools.

"Out of my WAY!" Tèa slammed her hip into one of the suits and scrambled past him, holding a hand back to Mai. "I hope these things aren't locked!"

"It shouldn't be, that's against the law," Mai panted. "It's probably just stiff from not being opened very often. Help me--" Together the two girls pushed at the locking bars. With a groan the doors popped open and a high warbling filled the air. The crowd in the gaming hall immediately started looking around nervously, not sure what the siren meant, but knowing it wasn't a sound effect from one of the games.

Junon advanced on Bakura and Tristan, one hand held out. _"Donnez-moi la sphère, sil vous plait,"_ he said. "The sphere, please, give."

"In your dreams!" Tristan charged Junon, shoulder down, in a perfect full-body football block. It didn't knock Junon off his feet-- the size differential was just too big-- but it DID send him stumbling to one side, leaving the door (for the moment) unguarded. "GO, BAKURA!"

With a leap, Bakura cleared Junon's prone form and onto the staircase. "Tristan, come on! I'm not leaving you behind!"

Tristan darted out and slammed the door behind them (thank God, it opens out) and looked around hastily. A combination trash and cigarette bin caught his eyes, and he grabbed it, jamming it up under the knob. _Might hold a few seconds. _Then he joined the headlong flight down the winding main stair into the ocean of people, vaulting the last few feet of the bannister to get ahead of Bakura. "One side! Coming through!" he bellowed, and put 3 years of playing high school football to good use as he shoved, blocked and otherwise plowed a path through the now-restless patrons.

Behind him, Bakura hastily tucked the globe into his shirtfront and glanced around, noticing a dark-suited figure coming in at Tristan's side. He fumbled for his Deck, grabbed a card at random. _Please, Heart of the Cards-- YES! _"Change of Heart!" he shouted, holding the card in the enemy's direction. "You must obey one command from me. Do what you can to keep your comrades from catching us, without fatal force!"

A brief glow surrounded the security guard and he froze, then turned, throwing himself at a cluster of other casino personnel who were trying to cut the pair of them off.

"Nice move!" Tristan called over his shoulder. "This way! I think I can see Joey and the others!"

Just ahead, Joey shoved attackers away left and right, fighting to clear a path. "You okay back dere, Yami? I think we're makin' progress! The door's just ahead!"

Yami gritted his teeth and concentrated on keeping up with Joey. Yes, he'd been trained in the arts of physical combat-- but that was 5000 years ago. Moreover, he was hardly the largest or brawniest of men. But he was quick, and that was enough, for now, to give him the advantage. A gap in the crowd; one last hasty leap; and he half-fell against the wall by the fire exit. As soon as Joey, Tristan and Bakura joined them, Yami waved a hand. "Out, now!" he ordered, and ran out into the alleyway.

"This way!" Pegasus called, "the sedan's down there!"

At the same moment, shouts of "stop!" and "you folks hold it RIGHT THERE!" confirmed the fact, as a second group of security guards rounded the far corner and bore down on them. Still out of reach, for the moment... but gaining fast.

"Think fast, we're in trouble!" Mai yelled.

In one move Yami was on his feet and drawing a card. "SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT! Pin my enemies in place!"

"HARPIE LADY SISTERS!" Mai screamed beside him. "Distract the ones he misses!"

A chorus of startled yelps sounded as the bright blades rained down from everywhere and impaled clothes, ends of pants, shoes (barely missing feet) and anything else that would hinder the security guards. Those that dove out of the way ducked and scrambled for cover as the Harpie Ladies dive-bombed them.

"Man, I hope like HELL that this thing can move, for all I bet it handles like a pregnant cow," Tristan said, slinging Bakura bodily into the backseat of the car before diving into the driver's seat himself.

"Well, I don't know," Pegasus said, clambering over Bakura, "but I assume since I paid enough for this beast, it had better be capable of breaking the speed limit at least twice over." Yami and Tèa were right on his heels, as were Joey and Mai.

"Are we all here?" Yami said, taking a hasty headcount. "Yes. Good. Tristan, go!"

The Rolls screeched away from the sidewalk, narrowly missing getting clipped by a DHL delivery van, and shot into traffic.

"Buckle in, everyone," Tris said, after a hasty look in the rearview mirror. "Just in case they decide to turn this into an auto chase. Think we've got a pretty good lead on 'em though. I'll take a few turns at random, then we'll cut back over to the main drag and get out of here. Pegasus, you'll have to play rear-seat co-pilot."

Bakura scanned the street behind them as well, saw no sight of immediate pursuit, and immediately collapsed against the seat cushions and fanned himself with one hand. "Good heavens, that was close. Somehow I never thought going to college would lead to a criminal career."

"Not criminal," Yami said. "Only taking back that which belongs with us already." He drew Tèa close for a moment, pressing his cheek to her hair. "You're all right?"

"I'm fine." Tèa gave him a shaky smile. "You looked pretty tough back there. I almost felt sorry for the guards."

"Please tell me we got what we came after," Mai asked, trying to be flippant and failing. "I don't want to have to go through that again, assuming the local police even let us back into a casino for the next ten years."

"I believe we did." Reaching into his shirt, Bakura sighed with relief. "Still here." He withdrew the sphere and held it up. "This belongs to YOU, I think, Pharoah."

Yami reached out to take the globe from Bakura with both hands. As soon as his fingers brushed it, it lit up even more brightly, tiny sparkles in a slow waltz through the air around it.

Pegasus looked at the globe and winced. "Like looking into the sun," he muttered. "There's a great deal of mystic energy wrapped up in there."

"It's not.. it isn't Shadow Magic, I don't think," Bakura said.

"Mm, no, it's not. It looks like some form of High Magick to me. --By that I mean what most people consider 'magic' to be," he added, for the benefit of the others. "You know, mysterious incantations, elaborate diagrams on the floor, old men in funny robes. Though in this case I'm sorry to tell you the incantations and whatnot have a definite purpose and a definite effect. This is REAL magic, of the kind that was once practiced thousands of years ago. But as to what KIND exactly, I can't say. I'm scarcely an expert on anything but Shadow Magic."

"Magic, schmagic," Joey snorted. "Save da mystical explanations for later. How do we get Yuge outta dat thing, huh?"

Yami blinked. "I... I don't know," he said.

"Nor am I," Pegasus admitted. "I'm not at all sure it'd be safe for either myself or Bakura to try to pull Yugi's soul out of there. The crystal might shatter, and if it did all kinds of nasty things could happen."

Yami closed his eyes a moment, frustration welling up. _So close! And yet a wall between us I cannot tear down. _He glared at the crystal as if willing it to reveal its secrets to him. "Yugi..." he whispered. _"Aibou..." _

The crystal flared like a miniature sun in his grasp. For a moment the air in the back seats of the sedan seemed itself to turn to light, washing over them all. Then, with a single note like a chime, the crystal shattered, its shards falling harmlessly to dust. For just a moment, they all saw it, framed in the air; a figure that was both the true source of that light and made of the light itself, wrapping translucent arms around its older self, comforting, welcoming.

_(I'm here! I'm right here!) _

The light winked out, and as everyone's vision cleared, they realized that something had changed.

The slender form seated by Tèa had changed position-- curled up against her, now, one fist tucked under his chin, eyes shut, a small smile on his lips as he slept.

Yugi Motoh was home.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

MEANWHILE, SOMEWHERE THAT WAS NOWHERE...

The room was dark, save for the sullen glow of a fire somewhere off to one side and a pool of light directed down at a table, around which four figures sat. The light fell full on the surface of the table, and on what appeared to be a basin of water in the center of the table, but it barely touched the figures at all.

Mirrored in the waters of the basin (if water it was, if it was a basin of water at all) was the back of the sedan. The view was centered on Yugi, but Tèa, Joey and Bakura were all at least partly visible.

"As you see," a woman's voice said, "he sleeps."

"Yes, but the other doesn't," a second voice-- a man's, slightly nasal, slightly fussy, like the sterotypical teacher that no one quite likes but is just a little too afraid of to misbehave. "It's useless to try to gain any kind of knowledge or influence now."

"Agreed," a third voice, another woman's voice, said. This speaker was younger, slightly impatient. "But what do we do in the meantime?"

"We have plans." The last speaker, an older male, still hearty. "Don't think we are leaving this all to Diaz. The stakes, as they say in this age, are too high. And he underestimates the strength of the Light."

"He's a brat," the second woman said, voice rising a trifle. "How can Yugi Motoh POSSIBLY be any threat to us? LOOK at him. He's so caught up in his own compassion he won't risk anything for fear of hurting someone. There's no backbone, no will, there at all."

"And now YOU are underestimating him." The older man again, disapproval clear in his tones. "Do you think being sundered has made the Pharoah weak? On the contrary. It was the worst possible thing that could've happened. However, so long as Yugi considers himself to be the lesser of the two, we have a chance to drive a wedge between them. Mark my words: in the day Yugi Motoh discovers his ultimate destiny, the power of the Pharoah--and of the Millenium Puzzle--will be forever beyond our reach. We must not allow that to happen, no matter what. If it necessitates our waiting another 5000 years, then we will do so."

"So why not pull Diaz out now?" First woman's voice.

"Because right now there is a good chance he can take control of the Prince and leave the King vulnerable." A hand waved over the water; it changed, this time showing a different room, where a figure bent over a computer console. "HERE is our second stumbling block."

"Kaiba?" Second man. "Kaiba is useless. He won't lift his nose from those precious computers of his long enough to see what's going on, let alone admit what's been shown to him already. Even the Pharoah's servant, Ishizu, couldn't convince him."

"True. But there is always the possibility that something will finally break down that facade of reality Kaiba clings to so fiercely. If that happens, we will have HIM to deal with as well. I do NOT want that happening."

"What of the others?" Another wave; the basic flickered through views of the others-- Joey, Tristan, Bakura, Mai, Pegasus, and Tèa last of all.

"Worrisome." The first female again. "The Pharoah's followers are increasing in number-- and in strength. And of course, they have a Maker among them now..."

"Pegasus," the second man said, with a definite note of avarice.

"Darkness take it! Who slipped up and let this happen!" Third woman, furious now.

"Calmly," the older man answered. "We didn't 'let' anything happen. Fate drew them together. They are not a matter we should concern ourselves with too much, though. If Diaz succeeds in convincing Yugi to abandon the Pharoah, none of the others will matter. Meanwhile... our second project. How goes that?"

"The first stage is complete," the second man said, a slight note of pride entering his voice. "So far, there's a 50 percent chance of survival."

"Only 50 percent?"

"May I remind you, sir, the other attempts were failures from the first moment. This time the subjects survived. That in itself is a positive note. If all continues as I expect, we should be ready in a year."

"A year is MUCH too long!" A hand struck the tabletop as the third female stood. "By that time they could've been to Egypt ten times over and found out-!"

"I agree." Older man. "Push up the timetable. We must be ready in six months or less. We will give Diaz one last chance. If he fails in his next attempt, then we will leave him to the Pharoah's justice and proceed with our own plans."

* * *

Darkness.

Warm, comforting, quiet.

Yugi stirred. With a little murmur he shifted, curling up again, vaguely aware someone was holding him. There was a heartbeat close at his ear, its rhythm soothing.

_'Aibou...'_

_Mou hitori... Oh... Is it time to wake up now?_

_'Yes, young one. Wake up. All our friends are here. We've been worried.'_

_Worried..._ With an effort Yugi pushed the drowsiness away. _I'm sorry..._

_'Don't concern yourself. Everything is all right now.'_

Yugi reached up. _Ah... you're crying?_

_'It's nothing. You are here, that's all that matters.'_

_Here? Have I been gone?_

_'I'll tell you later. For now, please, open your eyes.'_

Yugi did so, though it wasn't easy. He kept wanting to slip back down into slumber. He'd been dreaming, he knew, dreams he didn't want to leave, important dreams. Rolling his head to the left, he saw Tèa seated in a chair by his bedside, dozing. Around the room the rest of his friends--Bakura, Joey, Tristan-- were similarly draped over various pieces of furniture. _How long? _he asked. _And where am I? This doesn't look like home._

_'A day and a half.'_ Yami appeared and perched on the side of the mattress. _'And this is Pegasus's home in Nevada.'_

_Nevada! No way! What are we doing here? What happened at the tournament!_

_'We... left the tournament. Something happened that required our resigning.'_

_You... resigned...? Quit? YOU!_

Yami sighed. _'Someone at the tournament stole your soul. We had to leave to find you. All told, from the moment you were taken from us to now is almost five days.'_ Quickly Yami sketched out the details.

When he was done Yugi just put his head down on his knees for a moment. "I don't remember any of it..."

"Mm..?" Tèa stirred. "Yugi!" Immediately she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh God, you're awake!"

"MMMFH!" Yugi flailed his arms, gasping. "Tèa, too... tight..."

"Sorry..." Tèa loosened up a little, gently brushing back Yugi's bangs to look into his face. "You scared us half to death, you know." Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You scared ME half to death, anyway." She laughed a little. "Guess I'd better wake up the others so they can see you're all right. If I don't, I think Joey and Tristan would throw me off the nearest skyscraper." Reaching back, Tèa thumped Joey on the leg with a fist. "Hey, Snoring Guy, wake up."

"M'not snorin'," mumbled Joey, opening an eye. "J'st ask Yuge dere if I sn-- YUGI!" He catapulted himself out of the chair and all but teleported across the room, grabbing Yugi up in a fierce bear hug.

"ACKKK!" Yugi flailed again. "Joey... air... would be... nice-!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry about dat, bud." Joey let go, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Yuge, man..." he awkwardly rubbed his face with the back of one hand. "Gotta warn ya, dis desert air really chokes up a guy..."

"Joey... cut it out." Yugi swiped at his own face, not bothering to make excuses for the tears at the corners of his eyes. "I'm glad to see you too. Is everyone here? Is everyone safe?"

"Yeah, we're all hunky dory. Kinda wish ya coulda seen it though. We opened a whole case a' whipa-- uh, buttkicking, yeah, dat's it, buttkicking-- on some security goons, me an' da Pharoah. Even Peggy was laying down some real cool moves, kinda that Shaolin monk stick stuff."

"Peggy!" Yugi said, incredulous. "Are we talking about--"

"That would be Maximilian Pegasus, yes," Bakura confirmed from across the room. "Hallo, Yugi, welcome back."

"Thanks, I think. I mean, as far as I knew I didn't GO anywhere, but from what the Pharoah says, I guess... I guess I sort caused everyone a lot of trouble."

"Skip it." Tristan said, lazily waving a hand in mid-air. "No apologies, Yugi. You didn't have anything to do with it; you were the victim, remember? No apologies. We just did what we do best-- stick together."

Yugi nodded, giving Tristan a smile. "Right. Okay. This is Nevada, right?"

"Pegasus's home, yes." Bakura stood stretching. "Your kidnappers--"

"Casino, right. The Pharoah explained that to me."

"Don't suppose you remember anything that might be helpful? Such as, why they wanted you in the first place?"

"Sorry..." Yugi shook his head. "I... I remember dreaming... I think I was asleep, somehow, or maybe in some kind of trance that was LIKE sleeping. But I can't remember what I was dreaming about now. I get the feeling it was important, though, and it's making me a little nuts because I DON'T remember."

_'Don't struggle too hard to recall it. Hopefully if what you say is true, the knowledge will re-surface on its own in time, when something jogs your memory.'_

_I'll try. But that's sort of like a purple cow._

_'...A what?'_

_A purple cow-- oh, right. Okay. I challenge you to a game. For the next ten seconds, don't think of a purple cow, all right? You absolutely can't think of a purple cow or you lose. Got it? -GO! ...Well, did you? I bet you did._

Yami scowled.

_That's what I meant. The thing you try hardest not to think about is the one that you almost CAN'T stop thinking about._

_'Point taken. But if you have nightmares about purple cows, don't blame me.'_

"Hmmm... how about this." Tristan also stood, grabbing a chair from a desk at one end of the room and dragging it over to sit on it backwards, leaning his arms across the backrest. "Yugi, what do you know about Egyptian holidays?"

"Oo, that's right!" Bakura smacked his forehead. "Diaz said something much earlier about Isis and Osirus, didn't he? I think you asked about that earlier too."

"Yeah, Busby brought it up. Um, 'Busby' equals Doppleganger, Yugi. Apparently he kind of hangs out in the real world with Pegasus. Sort of his majordomo, man at arms, general gofer, that kind of thing. --Anyway. The 'day when Isis finds Osirus'-- mean anything to you?"

"Let me think..." Yugi frowned. "It's definitely a holy day in the Egyptian calendar, I remember that much. I THINK it has to do with the whole story of Osirus's rebirth. See, Osirus was killed by his brother Set and cut up into pieces--"

"Jeeeeez, nice guy, huh, real sibling rivalry dere," Joey quipped.

"And Isis, who was Osirus's... uh, I'm not sure if she was his wife then or not, I'm a little shaky on that part of the myth... but Isis searched for the parts of Osirus and brought them back together, and healed him by use of her magic. Isis was supposed to be the most powerful mage in the world at that point, you see. The only thing she couldn't do was bring him back to life because his soul had already passed on. So he became the god of the afterlife at that point, and his son, Horus, sort of took over running the world of men. Horus was also sometimes known as Ra, the sun god. I think that's also when Isis became a goddess; because of her devotion to Osirus, she was bestowed with divine status. It was sort of an analogy of the cycle of the seasons-- the harvest and growing seasons were tied to the flooding of the Nile, you know."

"So the day when she found him would be the day she found his pieces parts and put 'em back together, maybe?"

"I guess so." Yugi nibbled his lower lip. "If I remember right, that was celebrated in... either the beginning or middle of our month of November."

"So whatever Diaz meant about his being 'made whole' had something to do with that particular date, which may or may not have already passed." Bakura folded his arms and paced up and down. "But that's a dreadful coincidence, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Tristan shrugged. "I don't follow you, Bakura."

"Well, why exactly would Diaz make that particular statement? Drawing on Egyptian mythology, I mean. After all, 'Diaz Russio' doesn't sound like a very Egyptian name. To my way of thinking, either it had some particular significance to him, or he thought it would have some significance to the only person among us that has an Egyptian bent... the Pharoah."

"It ain't like he din't already know about da Pharoah," Joey pointed out. "I mean, he knew about Yuge's whole magic whatziz bond with him, right?"

"Yeah..." Tèa looked thoughtful. "But, guys, every time in the past someone's challanged the Pharoah, it's been the PHAROAH they were after, not Yugi."

"She's right. This is the first time anyone's been after me, ME me, rather than using me as a way to get to the Pharoah." Yugi wrapped his hands around the Puzzle, staring down at it. "What else did Diaz say?"

"Uh." Tristan boggled. "You're asking ME? We, uh, kind of had a few other things to think about at the time."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to sound snarky. Whatever he said might hold some clue, that's all."

"One way to find out." Bakura stepped to the door. "Let's ask Pegasus-- or rather, Doppleganger." He opend it, then gave a little scream as a tall form loomed over him.

"Yooooou raaaaang?" the cadaverous giant in the doorway said.

"AGH! Doppleganger, turn it off!" Bakura clutched his chest, panting. "Good heavens! I mean, yes, it's a perfect Lurch, but really-!"

"Sorry, Blondie." A violet whirlwind exactly like the Tasmanian Devil in the Warner Brothers cartoons replaced 'Lurch', resolving itself into Busby's form. "What'cha need?"

"Wow, cool," Yugi said, sitting forward to see a little better.

"Oh! Hey, Your Royal Shrimpness." Busby waved. "Just in time for lunch, which is why I'm here, the Boss sent me. But you were saying something about Diaz-?"

"You were watching when Diaz attacked Yugi," Tristan said. "What exactly did he say, do you remember?"

"Of course. You want an exact replay, or just a voiceover?"

"Stick with the voiceover. Joey might punch you out if you do too good a Diaz impersonation. Heck, I might punch you out for that matter. I owe that guy big time. We ALL do."

"Rightee-oh. Lessee here... 'Forgive me. But you took something from me once. It is only right you should, yourself, give back what was taken.' Steal soul, steal soul. Then he said, 'Little Prince, it IS you. At last. Don't be afraid. No harm will come to you. --Amos. Take us from this place.' Weird mojo, weird mojo. 'Tell the King that I will care for the Prince as if he were my own. Tell him it is useless to seek us. On the day when Isis finds Osirus, I shall be made whole-- and the King will be no more. Prepare yourselves. The Age of Chaos is upon you.' Poofity, gone."

"He DID call Yugi 'little Prince'," Tèa said. "I remember that now. And.. it's so creepy--" she shivered. "But he really seemed... affectionate. As if Yugi were someone he cared about a lot. He wanted us to let Yami know Yugi wasn't in any danger from him."

"More than that," Bakura pointed out, "someone he'd been searching for. He said ' it IS you. At last', too. That to me implies he's been looking for Yugi specifically, and probably looking for him for some time."

"But... but WHY?" Yugi shook his head. "I don't get it. What's so special about me?"

"Aside from da fact you're da nicest guy I know, an' if heart meant height you'd be about, I dunno, ten feet tall an' bulletproof?" Joey shrugged. "Beats me, Yuge."

"I don't think nice enters into it." Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe it's just me, but I get the feeling there's a lot more to it. And I don't think this is the end of it, either. We should probably be ready for more freaky stuff, and soon." He gave Yugi a half-smile. "Sorry, Yugi. I know you were hoping most of the weird stuff was over."

"Yeah..." Yugi looked down at his hands, still holding the Puzzle. "It's hard sometimes. I don't mind having the Puzzle; I don't mind having friends. That was what I always dreamed of having-- people I could trust, people that could trust in ME, no matter what. I didn't know what I'd be buying into, but... do ANY of us every really know what life's got in store for us? We just do the best we can, and try to stay true to the person we are and the people we care about. As long as I have you guys... ALL of you, and that means you too, Pharoah... I know I'll make it through." He looked up, face determined. "No matter what Diaz throws at me, I can take it."

"Way ta go!" Joey grinned and gave Yugi a high-five. "Atta boy."

"I think we've talked enough about it for right now. How about that lunch, everyone? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving. I could REALLY go for a cheeseburger."

* * *

"Aha, enter the conquering hero," Pegasus said as the group of kids walked in. "Good afternoon, Yugi."

"Pegasus." Yugi gave the man a tight little nod.

Pegasus favored him with a small wistful smile. "Would it help any if I said I was sorry? For everything?"

"Actually... it would. It does. I saw your diary... we all did." Yugi ducked his head. "I didn't mean to pry into your personal life, Mr. Pegasus. But I understand... you had your reasons. The Pharoah said you were a big help in rescuing me. That means a lot too." He crossed over to hold out a hand. "I'm willing to start over if you are."

"Absolutely." Pegasus took Yugi's hand and shook it. "Though I suppose your grandfather might take a bit more winning over."

"Yeah, I'd give it a few months for him to get used to the idea." Yugi laughed a little. "I bet Kaiba's about ready to blow his stack, though."

"Mm, I wouldn't doubt it."

"Hey, considerin' the way Peggy here cut him down when we left th' island?" Joey leaned on the top of Pegasus's head. "I tell ya, it was poetry in motion."

"Kaiba can't help it, it's just the way he is," Yugi protested as Pegasus made little shoo-ing motions at Joey, who gave him a cheesy grin in return.

"Possibly, but as for me, I think he'd be MUCH happier if he took hold of that poker in his nether regions and yanked it out," Bakura observed. "As would the rest of us-- be much happier, that is."

"You've got a point," Mai said, strolling in from the veranda. "Hi, Yugi."

"Mai!" Yugi reached over to take her hands in his for a moment. "You're here too!"

"Well, SOMEONE has to keep an eye on Joey," and Mai winked. "It's a tough job, but I'm a tough lady." She took a seat, helped herself to coffee. "So now what? This is all very pleasant, but eventually we'll have to leave this little vacation paradise. Though I've got to admit, Pegasus, this has been a refreshing chance of pace from the Monaco-Paris-New York circuit."

"Why, thank you, Mai. What you REALLY need to see, though, is the castle at Christmas. You wouldn't believe the size of the tree I can cram into the great hall."

"In your case? I'd believe anything."

"Well," Pegasus continued as everyone else sat down, "I'll be heading to New York in the next few days, to the Industrial Illusions offices there, with a quick little stop by Domino to touch base with Duke Devlin. I need to shake up a few things at my business. I think some of my employees might've gotten a bit slack during my, ah, sabbatical, let us say? Then... I believe I might just head back to the castle and try my hand at a bit of painting. As for the rest of you (if I may make a suggestion), try to get back to life as usual for a while."

"What about you, Mai?" Joey asked. "Where ya plannin' on goin' next?"

Mai smiled. "Don't you remember, Joey? You asked me over to your place for a movie night. This weekend good for you?"

"Huh?" A clatter as Joey almost upset his plate, grabbed it hastily, then stared at her. "You... you mean it?"

"Why, you chickening out on the invitation?"

"NO WAY! I mean, I'd love t'have you over, yanno, I just--" Joey's face lit up. "Mai, dat'd be great."

"Better have something good lined up for me to watch. I expect a lot out of you, Joey." Her gaze lingered on his just a heartbeat longer than it needed to-- or maybe just as long as it needed to; Joey's eyes widened, then softened, and a gentle, almost shy smile crossed his features. Everyone else at the table suddenly found the furnishings in the room immensely interesting and deserving of immediate attention.

* * *

The rest of winter passed without incident. There were a few tense moments at Christmas when Grandpa Motoh and Pegasus crossed paths (Pegasus simply appeared on Christmas Eve with an armload of presents, much like Ebenezer Scrooge) but by the time the evening was over the two of them were talking cards and gaming in general like old friends. The worst that happened was a resurgence of people wanting to Duel Yugi, mostly college students who'd found out the King of Games was on campus and were eager to try their luck at beating him.

Mai was a frequent visitor during that time as well, so much so that Tristan started teasing Joey about 'getting a new roomie soon', for which he earned a shirtfront of snow. It became almost commonplace to see the two of them sitting and talking together, or taking long walks in the early evening when the first stars were coming out, and if someone had been watching VERY closely they might've seen more than a few stolen kisses on those walks.

"Mai looks really happy," Yugi mused on one occasion, looking out the window as Joey said good night to Mai. "I don't think she's ever been this happy."

"I bet she hasn't." Tèa sat down by Yugi. "I think if it were me, I'd been really bored and lonely not having any real friends. I dont think I'd ever want to be really rich."

"Me either." He shifted, glanced up shyly at Tèa. "Um... Tèa..."

"What, Yugi?"

"Are you.. are YOU happy? I mean, you dreamed of going to America and being a dancer. You're still going to do that someday aren't you?"

"Maybe." Tèa looked out through the window. "Dreams are important, Yugi, but sometimes you have to choose which dream is the most important. Sometimes chasing after one dream can mean you lose the others. I don't think I want to do that." She took his hand in both of hers. "I guess it's about time we had that talk I promised you--um, sorry, promised the Pharoah."

"Talk? About what?"

"About... us." Tèa lowered her head a little. "You and I have been friends since we were in elementary school, right? We've always thought we'd be there for each other forever. Then we grew up and realized that we'd eventually go our own way. That's what usually happens, anyway. But I thought that our friendship ritual would help remind me of all the good times we had and the bond that's between us. It DOES...I'm not saying that's changed, but-- oh, gosh-- Yugi, when you were gone, and we were trying to find your soul-- I realized I wanted more than that. I didn't just want a memento of the times we had; I wanted us to go on being together. Coming to college with you wasn't just to keep us all together, for me. It was a way... of being with YOU a little while longer. I don't want to lose you. I don't EVER want to lose you."

"Tèa--" Yugi broke off, his heart pounding. "Do you-- does that mean that--"

"Yugi, I guess... I guess you've already figured out I'm in love with the Pharoah. What I'm trying to say is I'm in love with you too. It doesn't feel the same, but then you're not the same person. It's taken me this long to figure out I can love you both just as much, even if I don't feel exactly the same way about you both." Tèa dropped Yugi's hands, put her hands on either side of his face. "I really love you, Yugi Motoh, and I never, ever want to be without you." With a little smile, she leaned forward and kissed him.

It was sweet and shy, that first kiss, and if it wasn't full of a wild passion, there was an innocence and wholeheartedness that was just as wonderful in its own way. Drawing back, Tèa had to blink back tears. Nothing in her whole life had ever felt that right, and she wrapped her arms around Yugi, holding him close. "If you two think you can put up with a pushy, mouthy girl like me..." she whispered into his hair.

"You're k-kidding, right?" Yugi pushed away a little, looking up into Tèa's face. "I've only been in love with you forever, Tèa. I just didn't think..."

"Shush. Don't want to hear what you 'thinked'." She kissed him again.

"WOO WOO WOO!"

The shout made them jump apart, and Tèa glared daggers at Tris and Joey, who were leaning on the doorjamb grinning ear to ear. "How long have you two-!"

"Long enough," Tristan said. "Mr. Wheeler, the goods, if you please?"

"But a'course, Mr. Taylor." Joey waggled a digital camera where Yugi and Tèa could see it. "Heh, ya want 8 by 10 glossies or satin finish dere?"

"KILL!" Tèa launched herself at the pair, who took off down the hall. They MIGHT have actually outdistanced her, except for a leg that emerged from a doorway ahead of them to trip Tristan, who in turn brought Joey down with him.

"Now then, gentlemen," Yami said, smirking, "what was that about 'glossies'?"

"Ahhh nuts." Tristan grimaced. "No fair, three against two."

"I see nothing whatsoever unfair in the situation. Except, of course, for one thing." Yami reached over and took hold of Tèa's wrist, tugging her to him. "You have only HALF the story recorded."

"Wha-" Tèa started to say, then found herself being dipped and kissed.

"Alllll right Pharoah! --Quick, Joey, take the pic."

"Got it." Joey snapped off a few shots, then scrambled to his feet. "Quick, Tris, let's get dese on ya computer before she snaps out of it."

As they ran off, Yami murmured, "The answer, Tèa, is 'yes'. We CAN put up with a girl like you. Most willingly, and with all our heart."

"Oh..." Tèa rested a hand on his chest. "Wow... between you and Yugi, I think I'm in trouble."

"Indeed, you may well be." Yami's smile deepened. "But I promise you, your troubles will be most enjoyable."

Tèa blushed.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

"Pharoah, I've got an idea."

_'Indeed. Aside from how nice Tèa looks in her leotard?'_

"Oh SHUT UP!" Yugi blushed furiously. "I'm trying to be serious here!"

_'I apologize, young one. Tell me.'_

"I've been wondering how we could get a line on what Diaz is planning next, and I THINK I know who can tell us. Ishizu."

_'Ishizu...'_ Yami pondered. _'The Millenium Necklace. You wish her to use it?'_

"Yeah. I know she gave it to us at Battle City, but I'm not really sure how it works." Yugi tapped the Puzzle. "Besides, I think one at a time is enough, don't you?"

_'That is probably a wise decision. But, Yugi, how do we contact Ishizu? True enough, she is the Director of the Antiquities Department at the Museum of Cairo. Getting a message to her there is not particularly difficult. Her duties will most likely not permit her to join us for some few days at best.'_

"I know. I don't think we have to know right this minute, though. A week or two, or three, shouldn't be any pro--" Yugi broke off as the doorbell rang. "I wonder who that is?"

A minute or two later Bakura's voice echoed down the hall. "Er, Yugi?... You, ah, have visitors."

"Huh?"

"And unless I miss my guess, they've come quite a ways..." Bakura stepped aside, letting the two people behind him walk into the living room: a young man and a young woman, the woman the older of the two. The woman was clad in a flowing white robe, and her long dark hair was held back by a gold headband with a single emerald that rested just above her brows. The boy was blond, also clad in flowing clothing, with a golden necklace and bracelets. Both of them were a warm tanned color.

Stopping just within the door, both folded their hands in front of them and bowed to Yugi. "Pharoah," the young woman said, voice soft and respectful. "As you wished, so we have come."

"Ishizu." Yugi nodded. "But, but how did..?"

Ishizu smiled a little as she straightened. "Although I no longer hold the Millenium Necklace, my Pharoah, I am still sensitive to the mystic world. I sensed a great disturbance some little while ago, and, fearing for your safety, began to make arrangements to pay you a visit when I found out from your grandfather that you were no longer living in Domino."

"Everything's settled now," Yugi said firmly. "Everyone here IS my friend."

"Indeed." Ishizu favored Bakura with a long look. "Fate works in mysterious ways. However, I'm glad to hear this. --How may my brother and I be of service to you?"

"We've got a new problem... a new enemy, by the name of Diaz. He seems to know a LOT about the Millenium Items, AND about Yami and myself," Yugi explained. "I know it's a terrible burden to ask anyone to carry, but I know you understand the responsibility. Will you take back the Millenium Necklace, and use it to help us? Its power to sometimes foresee the future might let us know where Diaz is going to be next."

Ishizu looked down. Then she turned, looking at the boy beside her. "Marik, my brother... what do you think?"

"Ishizu, it's our duty. More than that, we owe the Pharoah everything." Marik looked at Yugi. "I know you never asked anything of me, but I've always felt that there should be SOMETHING we could do to thank you. You fought for my sake just as much as you fought for the lives of everyone here... Yes. Yes sister, if there's anything we can do, I think it's right for us to do it."

Ishizu nodded once. "Very well. --Yes, my Pharoah. I will take back the care of the Millenium Necklace, and use it in your service."

Yugi also nodded, then closed his eyes. The symbol on the Millenium Puzzle lit up, there and gone in a heartbeat, in a blink-- but the person who opened violet eyes to regard Marik and Ishizu was Yugi Motoh no more.

Both of them promptly sank down onto one knee each, bowing their heads in reverence.

"Don't kneel to me," Yami said softly. "I do not wish slaves to bow at my whim; I want friends, to walk the road of Destiny with me."

"Forgive us, Pharoah," Ishizu said, standing. "It was respect only."

"Mm." Yami permitted himself a smile. Reaching out into thin air that blackened into a pool of shadows at his gesture, he withdrew from the darkness a gleaming golden choker, which he handed to Ishizu. She clasped it about her throat and touched the Eye symbol in the centerpiece of the necklace briefly. "It will take me a little while to reaquaint myself with the powers of the Necklace," she said. "May my brother and I remain here during that time?"

"By all means." Yami gestured upstairs. "Use my room."

As Ishizu and Marik departed, Bakura folded his arms, a shadow passing over his features. "And what of the Millenium Rod?" he demanded suddenly, in a very different voice.

"What of it, Ba-Khu'ra?"

"Do you intend to return it to Marik Ishtar?"

"No. He was never its true owner to begin with, and I do not wish him to carry its burden again."

"Or fall under its temptation again?"

Yami favored Ba-Khu'ra with a long look. "It would not happen."

"Even the best of men can be corrupted, Pharoah, given the right circumstances and price. --Still, better to leave it where it is, I agree. Until and unless Seto Kaiba comes round. Which I quite doubt he ever will."

"I haven't given up hope that Kaiba will realize his errors. He might yet turn from the cold, lonely road he creates for himself and accept our friendship."

Ba-Khu'ra made a short derisive noise. "As soon expect the Great Sphinx to arise from the sands and begin to dance."

"Stranger things have happened."

"Such as?"

Yami gave Ba-Khu'ra a wicked smile. "Such as you and I being civil to one another, or agreeing on anything."

"Ha! Well struck." The Thief paused, studying Yami. "You're uneasy."

"Is it so obvious?"

"To me? Yes. But then it was--is-- my business, among other things, to be able to guess at a man's moods by the stance of his body. And yours speaks to me of worry."

"Turn that gaze on yourself, Thief, and tell me what you see."

"Pah." Ba-Khu'ra turned away, folding his arms.

Yami only waited.

"...Perhaps," Ba-Khu'ra said at last. "I find I enjoy this new world, this future time. I do not wish to leave it. Nor do I wish my light half to leave it too quickly. And I do... I do think I understand what Ishizu meant. It seems almost as if I feel a great darkness looming, like a storm, moving so subtly that you don't realize the speed with which it's coming until it's atop you."

"As do I. " Yami looked thoughtfully down the hall. "We will all be tested. Let us hope we will be ready when it comes."

"Yugi! YUUUGI!" Joey pounded into the room. "I--Oh. Uh. Pharoah. Did'ja know we got--"

"Visitors, yes. Thank you, Joey. Ishizu and her brother are here at my request. --Actually, that's not entirely true; they arrived before I had time to contact them."

"Whoa, dat's pretty good. You'd be a real winner at cocktail parties with dat trick." Joey waved a hand at Yami's scowl. "Sorry, wasn't dissin' ya. So what's up? Dose two don't exactly show up f'r tea an' crumpets."

"Yugi wanted to ask Ishizu's advice, but it seems Ishizu already felt she would be needed. She said she sensed a disturbance-- most likely Yugi's kidnapping-- and made arrangements to visit us at her earliest opportunity." Yami turned his gaze towards the ceiling. "Now we await what the Millenium Necklace may reveal. Would you ask everyone to gather here, in the living room, while we wait?"

"Sure t'ing."

A little over an hour later Ishizu re-appeared, bowing slightly as she entered. "I'm glad to see you all here," she said. "I only wish that it were under different circumstances. It seems sad, somehow, that only tribulation should bring us together."

"Does everybody in Egypt swallow a thesarus at birth?" muttered Tristan. "Man, stick around here long enough, you'll have enough ten-dollar words to choke a horse."

Tèa elbowed him in the ribs. "Tristan, cut it out! That's really snotty of you. I think it sounds elegant."

"Sorry, sorry."

"In any event, I believe I have the information you seek," Ishizu continued. "I have seen visions of another great tournament. I believe Kaiba is already planning it, in order to compensate for the failure of his copy of Duelist Kingdom.

"There were cliffs and rock outcroppings of many different hues, washed in sunlight, and great stark plains on which little grew. At first I thought it was somewhere in Egypt, but nowhere in the deserts I know has such stone formations. I do believe it to be somewhere desert-like, though." She closed her eyes, as if the better to recapture the vision. "It will be soon, very soon. I could feel most clearly Kaiba's impatience to begin. He wishes to match himself to you once more, Pharoah. He still cannot accept his destiny is tied irrevocably to yours, despite all he's seen and heard.

"I sense, too, a gathering darkness, above and beyond this man you call 'Diaz'. There is someone standing behind him. He does not act alone. And whatever lies in that darkness is more terrible than anything I've ever felt. You must be very careful, Pharoah. This may be your greatest challange yet, for Diaz wil surely take this chance to cross paths with you again." She bowed her head. "At... at first.. I believed Yugi Motoh's destiny was to return you to the world of the dead, Pharoah. That after he had faced all the challanges Fate had in store, he would set your spirit free so that it might at last rest. So my family has believed for centuries, and we have awaited the coming of the one who would solve the Millenium Puzzle with eagerness.

"I no longer believe that. There is some greater destiny awaiting you both, you and little Yugi. I feel it descending, and it makes me tremble, though I cannot honestly tell you if I shiver with fear or joy. Perhaps a little of both." Ishizu looked up, dark eyes wide and troubled. "Whatever happens, Pharoah, please, do not doubt that whatever service I and Marik may be to you and your friends, you have only to call upon us. As he said earlier, we owe you everything. I can never truly express my gratitude to you for giving me back my brother."

"Thank you, Ishizu." Yami inclined his head. "I appreciate your offer, and if I have need, you may rest assured I will call upon you. You are my trusted allies, you and Marik both. If what you say is true, I will have need of all the friends I can muster."

"Desert," Tristan mused. "Rocks of many hues... sounds like somewhere out West. Arizona, maybe, or New Mexico-- real cowboy territory. But what Kaiba'd be doing out there is anyone's guess. I thought he was more into high-tech."

"Kaiba has always been a master showman," Ba-Khu'ra interjected. "He wishes his tournaments to be grand events, unforgettable spectacles unlike anything else that's ever happened. After all, he was the one who made an entire city his Dueling ground, now didn't he?"

"Yeah, you got a point. Suppose we won't know until he actually sends out the invitations."

"If it pleases the Pharoah," Ishizu said, "there are several museums in America I've been meaning to visit, in order to arrange an exchange of exhibits. If I take advantage of my leave of absence from Cairo to do that now, it would allow me to be close at hand if I'm needed."

"That might be a prudent idea, Ishizu. I agree." Yami nodded.

"By your leave, then, Marik and I will go book a room at a hotel briefly while we make our travel arrangements." With another bow Ishizu and Marik took their leave.

The very next day the Federal Express package with the plane tickets arrived. All expenses paid, for everyone in the house. No note; none needed. The KaibaCorp return address was message enough.

* * *

_'Is it ALWAYS this cold here!' _

_No, I think sometimes it's colder. _

_'...You ARE joking.' _

_Nope!_ Yugi flashed the spirit at his side a smile. _See, look, it's here in the brochure. The statewide average high temperature in July is just over 60 degrees, while in January, a 20 degree high is the average. _

Yami's jaw sagged slightly._ 'Twenty... degrees.' _He shook his head._ 'Kaiba has gone insane.' _

_No, I don't think so. I think he just wants to show everyone up for the whole rest of the year._ Yugi leaned on the glass of the airport window, looking out at the sky. _I hope it snows again... _

_'I hope it DOESN'T. Once is enough. It's a pleasant experience for a few days.'_ Despite the fact he couldn't feel the temperature in his spirit form, Yami wrapped his arms around himself. _'Not as a lifestyle.' _

_I'm sorry. I keep forgetting you--we-- come from the desert. --Yami? _

_'Yes, young one?' _

_Do you think I'll ever remember... then? _

_'I don't know.'_ Yami reached out, put a translucent hand on his companion's shoulder, hearing the wistful tone of his thoughts._ 'Perhaps neither of us ever will regain all our memories. It's been a very long time, Yugi. We have now, though. We have today, and tomorrow, to make new memories.' _

_Yeah, you're right. --Hey! Look! I think I see a helicopter!_ Turning, Yugi waved an arm at his friends. "Hey, everyone, I see something, it looks like a helicopter!"

"Oh, that sounds like Seto Kaiba's calling card all right," Tristan said.

"Actually, it's kind of practical this time," Yugi said. "The roads around Kirwin aren't especially good, and the weather in the winter makes them worse. So flying us at least part of the way there in a helicopter makes sense."

Bakura also walked over and peered out. "I daresay you're right, Yugi, I think I see a KaibaCorp logo on it."

A few moments later a uniformed man walked into the airport lounge area, consulted a small clipboard, then moved over to the group. "Mr. Yugi Motoh and party?" he asked. "I'm Paul, your pilot. If you folks will get your luggage and follow me, we'll get started. Let's see..." he counted heads, making checks on the paperwork he was holding. "Any of you folks know how to ride a horse?"

At the unanimous shaking of heads, Paul heaved a sigh. _Wonder if Mr. Kaiba made a mistake and sent me to pick up the rodeo clowns instead of a bunch of Duellists. Ah, well, they're city folks, most of 'em, can't blame 'em for not knowing the whinny from the tail. _"Well, folks, there's a reason I ask," he explained. "Round these parts some of the back roads and trails get pretty rough around the end of winter, start of spring. Most folks use horses if they're getting off the paved roads, which we are. Hasn't been a paved road, hell, a gravelled road-- pardon my French, miss-- up to Kirwin for, oh, must be pretty close to twenty, thirty years now.

"So Mr. Kaiba decided he was gonna build a tempr'ary helipad over near Kirwin and set up a stable there so's folks could ride into the town itself-- sort of help you get into the mood. Those of you that can ride, we've got some nice Morgans. Those that don't--" he grinned--"you're gonna get real well acquainted with the backside of a buckboard wagon. But don't worry none about the town itself. Mr. Kaiba's planned for that, the buildings are all snug and warm and most events are set f'r indoors. If the weather holds good, we DO have some outdoor events planned-- tours of the mines, rides out into the area around the town, a Wild West shootout show, that sorta thing. So if y'all wanna come along with me, we'll get started now. --Oh yeah, I almost f'rgot to mention. Anyone that wants to dress up Western-style, clothes'll be provided at your hotel rooms. You're all staying at the Silver Dollar, finest hotel in these parts." He winked. "Why most of the rooms even have hot n' cold running water! Most of the time that is. Just fetch the pipes a bang or two if the water don't come out, and you should be fine."

Tèa made a face. "I hope he was kidding about the pipes. And about the horses."

"Yeah." Tristan shouldered his bag. "Or at least that they're gonna be tolerant of us 'city slickers'. Closest I'VE ever been to a horse is the horsepower of a cycle engine."

"I'm sure it's going to be a LOT of fun," Yugi said, shouldering his bag.

"I wonder if they have English saddles..? I might just manage that, I think," Bakura commented as they all started trailing after the copter pilot.

The helicopter proved to be just large enough to accomodate them all, with a bit of squeezing for the luggage. Once all were aboard, Paul got in and started the engine. Soon they were airborne and headed southwest over rolling plains.

"To your right," Paul called over his shoulder as they flew, "you should begin seeing the edges of the Shoshone National Forest pretty soon. Kirwin's on the southeastern edge of that. Shoshone National Forest was set aside in 1891 as part of the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve, making the Shoshone the first national forest in the United States. It measures about 2.4 million acres, bordered on the west by Yellowstone National Park, and runs clear down from Montana, including parts of the Absaroka, Wind River and Beartooth mountain ranges."

"Wow..." Yugi said, nose all but flattened to the glass.

"Can't see it from here, but almost due south of Kirwin we've got the Wind River Indian Reservation. The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes share the reservation, and it includes Fort Washakie, named after a famous Shoshone chief. The fort here was the only military outpost established to protect rather than fight the Indians, and was in service up till about 1909. Wind River's also home to the Roberts Episcopal Mission, which was established by Chief Washakie in the 1880's when he granted 160 acres of irrigated farm land to the Rev. John Roberts. There's also a cemetary in the reservation where Lewis and Clark's famous guide, Sacajawea, is said to be buried." Paul laughed. "Don't worry, folks, nobody's on the warpath this season. If we get some good weather, I understand there might be a daytrip over to the fort, so save back a few dollars if you get a chance to go."

About an hour later, as a mountain range loomed into sight, the helicopter circled a small cluster of buildings and gently dropped to a landing. "Here we go," Paul said. "This is where you get your boots on. Welcome to Wyoming, hope y'enjoy your stay."

As everyone disembarked, they saw an outside corral with several dark brown and black horses nosing about, cropping at the sparse grass or nibbling at bales of hay placed around the enclosure. The rear of the corral let into a large barn-like building, with a stall or two just visible from where the group was standing.

An older man with a fine handlebar mustache and salt-and-pepper hair, clad in a cowboy hat, duster, neck-scarf, denims and boots walked up, tipping his hat. "Mornin' folks," he said. "My name's Jake. I'll be your guide through these parts. Understand you're travellin' through from the East! Must be a mighty big change. You-all toss your kit up there in the wagon and make yourselves comfortable, if you ain't plannin' on riding, while me and the boys get some of these hosses saddled up."

"I say," Bakura said, excited, "this really IS turning out to be terribly interesting!" He turned and beamed at the rest of the group. "Think I look rather the dandy type, do you?"

"You sure ain't da faithful Indian guide," teased Joey. "Good ting dey ain't on da warpath, I bet Yuge here would be on the top'a somebody's scalping list!"

Yugi flung up his arms to shield his head, pretending to be afraid, then giggled. "I think I'll take the wa--" he stopped, then nodded. "On SECOND thought... I think I'll ride a horse."

Jake wandered back up about then, leading several horses. "Before we get started, you folks got any questions?" he asked.

"No, I think we've got the idea. But Yugi here wants to ri--" Tristan stopped as the figure beside him ran lightly forward and vaulted to the saddle of a horse. "Holy cow..."

"Would you care to ride with me, Tèa?" Yami extended a hand.

Tèa giggled and put her hand in his. "Why, shore thing, handsome stranger!" she drawled.

As the group made their way along, the light breeze which'd been blowing eased off, letting the sun warm them. The trail wound back and forth, wending its way gently upwards towards the side of a mountain that rose at a steep angle, still dotted here and there with patches of snow, at the base of which a few grey buildings could be seen past the trees.

At last the horses and wagon rounded a curve in the trail and Jake drew up. "Here we be," he said.

Lying on a small plateau at the foot of the mountains rested a town, with wood buildings everywhere. There were other people on horseback, on foot and in wagons or buggys moving up and down the streets, and a bunting banner hung over the main street proclaimed:

WELCOME TO KIRWIN!

Jake drove on into town, nodding to some people who raised their hands to wave a greeting or tipped their hats, and drew up in front of a grand old two-story building with two large wooden doors, each of which sported a half-pane of etched glass at the top bearing the design of a coin. "Silver Dollar," Jake announced. "Here's where you stop off. Sure hope you-all enjoy your stay. Just talk to Miss Ellen, inside, for your room reservations."

As the doors swung open, the sound of a piano playing merrily spilled out onto the early afternoon air. There was a smell of woodsmoke to go with it, and the sound of voices in conversation, with a laugh here and there. Through the door they could all see a short hall leading into a large open room set up something like a hotel reception area, with a large wooden desk in their immediate line of sight. A silver bell rested on one side of the desk, along with a large leather-bound book and a quill pen.

Behind the desk sat an older woman, 40-ish or so, with her hair pulled back into a bun which was held back by a Spanish design haircomb. Her dress was of light cream colored cloth with a white daisy pattern, sensibly buttoned at the collar and cuffs and falling in delicate straight lines down to a belted waist. The sheerest lace graced the cuffs. She was reading a book, which she closed and set aside as the door opened, standing to move around from behind the counter and step forward. "Good morning," she said, her voice flavored with just a tinge of a Bostonian accent. "Welcome to the Silver Dollar. I'm Ellen McGuire, the proprietor. Can I do something for you?"

"Yes, please, ma'am," Yugi said, leaning in. "We're from out of town and we'd like a room." He glanced around at the others. "Right?"

"Well, you've certainly come to the right place, young sir, and please, call me 'Miss Ellen'." She smiled. "Every time I hear 'ma'am' I start looking around for my Great-Aunt Felicity."

"Yes'm--uh-- Miss Ellen."

"Come on in then, and let's see what we have open." Miss Ellen moved back behind the desk and began to page through a smaller book, humming along with the piano. "Let me see here-- I have reservations for a Motoh party, from the East-- would that be you?"

"Yes, rather," said Bakura.

"You have the entire third floor." Ellen turned the register book around, dipped the quill into an inkwell, and handed it to Yugi. "If you'll all just sign in, I'll get your room keys. I know you've had a long ride from the train station over in Meeteetse, so you probably want to settle down for a bit. The rooms are a dollar a week, but that includes one meal here a day; breakfast, lunch or dinner, your choice. Breakfast is 6 in the morning, lunch's at high noon and dinner's at six in the evening. Kitchen and dining room to your left, saloon's to your right. Mind you, I run a quiet place, no rowdy drunks allowed, so if you make a nuisance of yourself you're like to find yourself sleeping on the sidewalks. But I'm sure you folks have better manners than that." She passed out a set of wrought iron keys, each of which was 3 or 4 inches long. "Please enjoy your stay!"

"Wonder if Peggy's gonna show up," Joey said as they moved upstairs. "You s'pose Kaiba invited him too?"

"I wouldn't put it past him." Tèa nodded. "After Yugi, Pegasus is Kaiba's closest rival, and now that he's back in public, Kaiba might take the opportunity to challange him too."

"Sounds about right, doesnt it?" a familiar voice drawled from an open doorway ahead. "My, Tèa. You certainly are becoming an expert on the lifestyles of the rich and paranoid." A tall white-haired figure steped out and leaned on the wall, clad in a black shirt trimmed with white on collar and cuff and an intricate knotwork design down the front, also in white. A long deep crimson frockcoat with matching pants topped off the ensemble.

"Hey, Pegasus!" Yugi ran forward. "Cool, you ARE here."

"What, did you think I'd miss this? Particularly as the invitation was SO gracious. 'Be there or I'll have you hauled there in chains'. --Not really, unless you're reading between the lines, but that's about the gist of it." Pegasus waved a hand. "So here we all are again."

"What exactly is going on with all the Western and Eastern stuff?" Tèa asked. "Miss Ellen downstairs--"

"Is a temporary employee of KaibaCorp, as is everyone else in town with the exception of the Duelists. It's a closed tournament, no outside spectators. The whole town is KaibaCorp property. He bought the place and had it renovated. They're all role-playing-- actors and actresses on an enormous stage. For the duration of the tournament, we're LIVING in the Old West." Pegasus chuckled. "I have to admit, Kaiba does have some fantastic ideas for these little events."

"Oh wow." Tèa's eyes lit up. "That sounds so interesting!"

"Mm, doesn't it? But I'm slowing you down. Get your luggage stashed, then check out your closets." Pegasus tipped Tèa a wink. "The proper clothing does help set the mood, you know!"

The rooms were all furnished in a similar style: a large four-poster bed, easily big enough for two, with large fluffy pillows and white bedspreads. A cherrywood chest of drawers with an oval mirror mounted above it graced one wall, while across from the bed stood a matching wardrobe. A delft china pitcher and washbasin rested atop the chest of drawers, and the walls were decorated with Indian rugs and Mexican serapes, pinned up to add color to the plain plaster.

There were lithographs as well on the walls over the headboard, and upon occasion a painting of the area, featuring the mountains or a woodland scene. Tucked in a neat roll at the end of the bed was a bundle that turned out to be a large fur, perhaps a bearskin, that had been meticulously turned into a rug/spread and obviously meant to be unfurled over one's feet and legs for extra warmth at night. The single concession to the modern age was a small closet that turned out to hold a toilet, shower and sink, though all of them were of an 'old-fashioned' type that could pass for period.

Both wardrobe and chest of drawers contained, upon inspection, several different suits of clothing that could be mixed and matched to make a fairly decent few days' worth of 'Western' wear: shirts, jeans or pants, vests, jackets, and the like for the men, dresses, vests, shirts and skirts for the women. Boots of varying types were tucked away neatly at the bottom, and in the top drawer were tietacks, cufflinks, bandannas, and all the other smaller pieces to complete the ensemble. There were even a few hats at the top of the wardrobe, again in varying types, but all lending themselves to the Western ideal.

Square in the middle of each bed was a cream-colored envelope that held an invitation:

_Seto Kaiba, mayor of the town of Kirwin, would like _

_to invite you to attend a welcome dinner at his house _

_tonight at 7 PM. Period attire is requested but not required. _

* * *

"Hey, check it out!" Joey spun around in the hallway. "I'm a real live cowpoke!" He slapped a hand on the leather chaps. "Just call me da Domino Kid."

"Me, I'm not used to all these buttons..." Tristan gestured at his ensemble, a white shirt with dark buttons, with a double-breasted silver vest over it, black pinstriped pants and dark brown tooled leather boots.

Behind Tristan, Yugi eased out into the hall. He was wearing a dark blue longhorn bib shirt, the front portion sporting 11 neat silver studs holding it in place, a pair of black pants with suspender buttons, and black boots. "Me either, but it does look sort... of... guh..."

Following his gaze the others saw Tèa emerge from her room, dressed in a long Spanish-style dress, her shoulders bare and a lace mantilla gracing her short brown hair. A little shyly, she turned a pirouette. "Do you like it Yugi?"

"Wow," he replied, taking in Tèa and her dress wide. "Tèa, you look-- wow."

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, today's word is 'wow'," teased Bakura, shutting his door. He was dressed in a more continental style, almost like a banker, with a jacket over a frilled shirt and tweed pants. "My, you DO look splendid, Tèa. --Shall we, everyone?"

Once they walked out of the Silver Dollar it became evident where they were going. A large house set up and to the back of the town, almost flush against the mountainside, had every room lit up and the sounds of music and voices drifted down from it on the wind.

"Here, Tèa--" Yugi threw a silk shawl around her shoulders. "It's pretty chilly out here. This might help some."

"Let's not dawdle and it won't matter too much," Pegasus observed.

"Yeah, someone's already giving me dirty looks." Yugi giggled. "And he isn't even out here with us to feel it!" He shyly offered Tèa his arm, and, trailed by everyone else, they hurried up to the house, where a man in servant's livery waited to accept their invitations and usher them in.

Almost the second they entered the house, a shadowy figure moved forward to intercept them. "How touching. Looks like the rumors are true, you HAVE recruited someone else into your little group of cheerleaders, Yugi. Or maybe Pegasus is just hoping to ride in on your coattails."

Yugi half-turned, still holding Tèa's arm, and looked at the speaker. The gentle look on his face dropped off, to be replaced with a little frown of determination. "Kaiba," he said.

Seto Kaiba, clad in a Westernized version of his usual garb (right down to the sleeveless white duster) folded his arms and smirked, gaze finding and marking each person there. "Welcome to MY tournament," he said. "Though I'm still trying to figure out how the International Dueling Association would've suggested SOME of you." His eyes rested deliberately on Joey.

"Kaiba that's enough!" Yugi let go of Tèa and stepped forward, hands balling up into fists, almost visibly trembling. "I know what you're about to start saying and you can just stop where you are. Everyone here deserves to be here, whether or not YOU think that much of them. It isn't about who's got the best reputation or who plays the flashiest, most powerful cards, or who measures up to YOUR standards of what a Duelist should be. If I Dueled the way YOU think I should, I'd be miserable-- because I wouldn't be Dueling; I'd be treating my deck as if it was just a stack of pieces of colored paper. You always wonder why you lose to me? I'll tell you the same thing I've always told you. You don't believe in anything or anyone but yourself, so how can anyone or anything else believe in YOU!"

It was almost funny; tiny Yugi standing there, eyes blazing, locked on Kaiba's, the silence in the hall almost thick enough to cut.

Almost funny... until Seto Kaiba dropped his stare first, glancing to the side, the smirk replaced by a sullen scowl. "Fine," he said, looking back at last. "Have it your way, Yugi. But I intend to prove to you that superior skill WILL lead me to another victory."

"Skill is nothing unless you have a heart to go with it," Yugi answered.

"Whatever." Kaiba waved a hand dismissively. "We're not here for a challange. Not tonight, anyway. If you'll all follow me, dinner's waiting."

Yugi turned, looking back at the others. "Let's go, everyone," he said, with a firm little nod. One hand in Tèa's, one hand in Joey's, he walked forward.

"Hey Yugi!"

Yugi looked up as they walked into the dining hall (and it WAS a hall, just about; the table could seat all of them with room to spare). His face lit up. "Hey, Mokuba!"

The tall young man with the shock of dark hair ran forward, grabbing Yugi and giving him a hug. "Man, it's great to see you again! you're looking... uh.." he stared down, puzzled. "The same," he finished.

"Well, YOU'RE not!" laughed Yugi. "No fair, you grew."

Mokuba laughed a little. "Yeah, I kinda hit my growth spurt. --So, how do I look? I'm th' sheriff in these here parts, podner!" He held out his arms, showing off his cowboy outfit, complete with a Texas Ranger style badge.

"I guess that means you're going to be enforcing the rules in this tournament too?"

"You bet. Seto says he wouldn't trust anyone else with the job."

"He's right."

"Come on, I'll show you all to your seats." Mokuba led them over to the table, pointing out the placards that marked everyone's plate.

The first course of the dinner was served in almost-silence. Kaiba wasn't particularly hungry-- hadn't been since the IDA told him flat out if he wanted sanctioning for this tournament he'd better open the doors to his fellow Master Duelists, and that meant ALL of them, including Pegasus. But he ate nonetheless, as much to reassure Mokuba as to conceal his distaste for some of his dinner company.

When the plates were taken away he stood. "As chairman of this tournament, I'd like to welcome you to Kirwin," he said. "Most of the rest of the participants have already received an explanation of the rules, but as honored guests, you're receiving a personal briefing and a chance to ask me questions.

"The rules are fairly simple. Like Battle City, you can't summon your stronger monsters straight onto the field-- you have to sacrifice a weaker monster, Level 4 or below, to bring out a Level 5 or above. You don't have to risk your strongest card, at least not IN the duels themselves. The 'catch' in this tournament is that if you lose, you must remove your rarest card-- ALL of them, if you have more than one of the same card-- from your playdeck for the duration of the tournament. So, for example, if I were to lose a Duel, I would have to take all of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons out of my deck and leave them out for the rest of my time in the tournament. If I lost a second Duel, then my next rarest card would be taken out, and so on down the line. But don't count on that happening any time soon. In the event you have several cards of an equal rarity, the cards to be eliminated will be chosen by random draw.

"You are allowed to bring other cards into your playdeck to replace them, but I'm sure you see where this is heading. Lose, and the entire structure of your deck could change dramatically. You'll have to think ahead and plan how to shift your strategies. Everyone's deck and backup cards will be registered, by the way, so don't try to bring in anything that you don't currently have with you.

"There is no 'elimination' in the first round. Instead, you must win six Duels, which will move you into the second bracket. Your losses don't count against you-- only your wins will be taked into consideration. It's in your best interest NOT to lose too much, though, for the reasons I stated above.

"Each person that makes it to the second bracket will have to Duel against one of my hand-picked Desperados in order to continue to the third bracket. Those who make it to third will then be facing each other in a series of random duels until we have a winner. If we have an uneven number of finalists, the person who did the best in the second bracket but didn't make it to the third bracket will be advanced to third to even things up.. so you see, this time around I'm even giving the losers a second chance." He smiled thinly. "The tournament will begin tomorrow at the traditional hour of high noon and continue through the day till sundown. Thereafter, it'll open at dawn and end at sundown. Nights are free to rest, rebuild your deck, and enjoy the events in town. You CAN also participate in the daytime events, but be aware you may be challenged to Duel any time it's daylight.

"Refusal to Duel a challanger will be counted as one loss, with the attendant penalty of removing your rare cards. My brother Mokuba, as 'sheriff', is final arbiter of any issues regarding the rules or Duelist conduct, and his decisions are not open to debate. Failure to accept that is grounds for immediate dismissal from the tournament." Kaiba took a sip of his wine, then continued, "Now, as for the rewards. The winner of the tournament will take home $500,000 dollars tax-free and a custom-built second-generation Duel Disk. These new Duel Disks are lighter, can be made in your choice of color and detail work, and will feature a special isomorphic anti-theft system. In essence, the Duel Disk will be keyed specifically to one person and will only work for their owner. He or she will also be offered Master Duelist status by the IDA, with all the attendant rights, privileges and responsibilities. Second place will receive $250,000, and third place $100,000. Any questions?"

"You haven't set any time table," Tèa said. "If you don't mind my asking, how much time do we have to get the six wins to move into the second bracket?"

"Good." Kaiba nodded slightly. "I was wondering if someone was going to ask that. This is a five day tournament, therefore you have about 18 hours to get in your six duels-- from 12 noon to 6 PM or so tomorrow, from 6 AM to 6 PM the day after. The next two days after that will be the Desperado duels, and the last day will be the finals. However, if you're in the middle of a Duel when the sun sets, we won't discount it, so long as the Duel began BEFORE sundown. And the start and stop times are not fixed-- basically, think of it this way. If there's even a sliver of the sun showing, either dawn or dusk, you have the right to Duel. Before or after that, you're out of luck. Not everyone in the old West had a convenient pocketwatch or clock at hand, so they judged things more by the sun than we do.

"Also remember that you can be challanged to Duel ANYWHERE while the sun is up, so hiding in your room won't help.

"Once you get to the second tier, IF you do, you're going to have to track down a Desperado and call them out. Any Desperado will do, though. You're not assigned to a specific one, and they will be identifiable. Desperados will be all in black, with the KaibaCorp logo on the front of their shirts and a red bandanna tied around the right arm. They're under orders to remain within sight of the town, though they may hide out anywhere in town, or in the opened gold mine tunnels, which are also clearly marked and monitored. It's up to YOU to find one and Duel him or her. That phase will last for about 24 hours." Again a thin, almost mocking smile. "Old West outlaws didn't make it easy on the lawmen tracking them down. So don't expect any favors from MY Desperados."

"Yeah, so?" Tristan muttered under his breath. "You never did anyone any favors in your life. Why expect your flunkies to be any different?"

Bakura raised a hand. "Mr. Kaiba," he said, "I'm curious as to why Tristan, Tèa and I are here. Grant you, we DO all know how to Duel, but we're scarcely in your usual category."

Kaiba arched a brow. "Curious," he said. "As to your being here? It's simple enough. You made a tolerable showing at Battle City. I want to see if you can continue it, or if your performance then was only a fluke. I've met any number of people who imagined they were good enough to be included in one of my tournaments. It always interests me to find someone who might actually BE worthy." He glanced around again at the group. "Let's just say that for the other two, I'm looking forward to putting the people I DON'T know to the test.

"A true Duelist-- and this is something even you'll agree with, Yugi... a true Duelist is always on the lookout for others who are worthy to compete against." His eyes locked on Yugi's again. "Besides," he said, very very softly, "I'm bringing the full power of my Deck into this battle. I'm sure you will too Yugi. You'd better. I don't intend to lose, no matter what it takes. So I expect each and every one of you--" he gestured at everyone else--"to Duel as hard as you can, even if you find yourselves facing your best friends at the end. Let me borrow a popular phrase and you'll understand where I'm coming from." He turned, heading out of the room, and paused at the door. "There can be only ONE."

And with that, he was gone.

Yugi's eyes narrowed, then widened. "He can't--" he whispered under his breath. "He CAN'T mean to..." he sank back and covered his face with his hands.

"Oh yes he can," said Bakura, face grim. "And you know he will."

"But it's DANGEROUS!" Yugi jumped up. "This is NOT the time OR the place for that!" He rounded on Mokuba, who was just heading for the door himself. "Mokuba-- can't you--"

Mokuba only looked down miserably. "Sorry, Yugi," he said. "Seto... you know how he is... I'll try, but I don't think he'll listen, not even to me." He looked up, brown eyes worried. "When you left the last tournament, Seto got pretty upset. He's not kidding around. --I know, I know, like he ever 'kids around'." The younger boy sighed. "This time, he's serious. He's got something to prove, to himself at least. He's not going to let anything or anyone change his mind. But I'll TRY, ok? I owe you a lot." A lopsided grin. "Heck, I just about owe you EVERYTHING. I only wish I could get Seto to see it too." He turned and trotted out, following his brother.

In the silence that followed, Bakura's voice was quite clearly audible: "Well, what a shocking cock-up THIS is turning out to be."

"Okay, okay, what'm I missin' here?" Joey leaned across the table. "Spill it, Yuge."

"The God Cards." Yugi dropped his hands, sighed. "Kaiba wants to Duel me when I have the God Cards in my deck."

* * *

The banner stretching across the main street the next morning said it all:

WELCOME TO TURN OF THE CARDS

Registration, Qualifying Goals and

Duelist Roster at City Hall

Tournament Begins: High Noon

Posted on the front porch of the City Hall-- a two-story building near the center of town-- was the following list of names:

_Yugi Motoh - Joey Wheeler - Tristan Taylor - Ryou Bakura _

_Tèa Gardner - Maximilian Pegasus - Seto Kaiba - Rex Raptor _

_Weevil Underwood - 'Bandit' Keith Howard - Duke Devlin _

_Rebecca Hawkins - Mako Tsunami - Espa Roba - Diaz Russio _

_Amos Campbell - Junon D'Argenne - Serra Russio _

_Siegfried Mannheim - Jafar Hanshin - Sergei Ivanov - Ethan Johnson _

_Tom McGregor - Isona Shikuza - Giovanni Solermo - Paul Davis _

Underneath was a short paragraph:

_Round 1 - First 16 to win 6 Duels advance - challenge anyone _

_Time: 18 hours _

_Round 2 - First 8 to track down and defeat a Desperado advance _

_Time: 24 hours _

_Round 3- Winners of Round 2 compete for semi-finals (4 slots) _

_Round 4 - Winners of Round 3 compete for finals (2 slots) _

_Round 5 - The last Duelist standing wins _

"This is it, guys," Yugi said as they stood on the front porch of the hotel. "We're going to do it. I KNOW we are."

"Vell, vell," a stranger's voice interjected. "If it isn't Maximilian Pegasus." The German accent made it 'Mockceemileeon'. "How quaint to see YOU here. I understood you retired, _Sie nicht_? And here with so many young people... _Wie interessierend_. "

Everyone turned to see a tall, thin figure with sharp features and short-cropped white-blond hair standing on the wooden sidewalk, just out of the sun. His entire attitude was somewhere between languor and ennui.

"Yipe," Tristan muttered, "that guy makes Max look like Randy Savage."

Pegasus's features took on an air of polite indifference. "Have we been introduced?" he asked, with an undertone of 'if we have, obviously you weren't remarkable enough for me to remember it'.

"Ah, nein . You vere... busy, obviously." The man bowed slightly, in the continental fashion. "I am Siegfried Mannheim, from Germany. Western European champion," he added. "And ZIS must be the so-famous Yugi Motoh." Siegfried smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Somehow I expected you to be _kleiner eines Görs _-- ah, forgive me, the English-- older? Such an accomplished Duelist. Such a surprise and delight."

Almost at once everyone felt Pegasus bristle.

"I hope zat I vill have a chance to face you or vun of your company," Siegfried continued. "It vill be interesting to see how the American champions match up against the European styles of playing." With that he bowed again and sauntered off.

Joey looked hard-eyed after Siegfried. "I don't like that guy much," he murmured.

"You have every right to," Tristan muttered back. "For all intents and purposes, I think he just called Yugi a brat, or something close to it, if I remember my high-school German."

_'You know, with the proper tools I could have that man's liver out and hand it to him before he collapsed from shock trauma.' _

Bakura turned a little pale. _You don't mean that! _

_'Try me.'_ Ba-Khu'ra smirked.

_Here now, none of that. One doesn't go around killing one's opponents! _

_'Oh?'_ One white brow lifted. _'If you insist, then, we'll simply reduce him to a quivering semblance of his former self in the Arena. I think Dark Necrofear would probably enjoy that. I know I will.' _

_Must you always be so bloodthirsty? _

_'Bloodthirsty to you is practical to me. An enemy who's no longer breathing isn't much of an enemy. And mark me, little light, that one carries no love for anyone but himself.' _Ba-Khu'ra's expression softened just a trifle._ 'It wasn't a forgiving world 5,000 years ago. And you are a product of a... different time. Today your evils hide behind weapons that reach out across mountain and ocean alike. In my time, a man faced his death, or his opponent's, personally, and took the responsibility for the deed upon himself and no other.' _

_I know. _

_'Enough of the debate. Let's go. I want another look over our Deck before we begin.'' _

Max folded his eyes, his visible eye narrowing as a cunning, wicked smile spread across his features. "You know, as I recall, I do believe I've heard of our DEAR Mr. Mainheim. They say he's never lost a Duel. I wonder how many people he had to bribe to get that perfect record. I think I'm going to have more fun at this tournament than I originally planned on. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll have a cup of coffee before the actual tournament starts." He walked back into the hotel, singing under his breath as he went:

_"I'm on the case, can't be fooled _

_Any objection is overruled _

_Yes I'm the Arbiter and I know best _

_(He's impartial, don't push him, he's unimpressed) _

_You got your tricks, good for you _

_But there's no gambit I don't see through _

_yes I'm the Arbiter, I know the score _

_From square one I'll be watching all sixty-four..." _

Fifteen minutes before noon, a bell began to ring slowly, its sound carrying through the streets of Kirwin, summoning everyone to the town hall. In front of it stood a board studded with small pieces of identical paper. Mokuba Kaiba was standing beside it, and as the crowd gathered he raised his voice. "Okay, everyone here's how it starts.

"These pieces of paper are little maps of the city, one for each Duelist. Each one has a site marked in color. Take one, open it, and check the spot. That's where you need to head to. As soon as the belltower--" he indicated the giant town clock above him-- "strikes 12 o'clock, you can begin chasing each other down for Duels." he grinned. "Didn't think we'd make it easy and let you all start challenging one another right here in Town Square, didja?

"Remember you have till sundown tonight to Duel, then dawn to sundown tomorrow. ANYWHERE in town is open territory, so you're gonna have to stay on your toes and pick your duels carefully. Same goes for your fellow contestants-- anyONE is fair game. Only the first 16 to win 6 Duels will advance. Keep that in mind.

"Just like Battle City, your Duel Disks will be used to relay duel information back to City Hall, where me an' my deputies will be watching out for trouble. Don't make me have to run you out of town!" He grinned. "Okay, line up and come forward two at a time to pull your map please!"

_Here we go._ Yugi closed his eyes a second, taking a breath. Nervous, excited, happy; all mixed up inside him, same as every tournament. The faintest cool touch on one shoulder, reminding him he wasn't alone; then it tightened. Yugi immediately looked to his right, saw Yami looking further down the street, and followed his gaze.

Diaz.

He was dressed in something approximating a Spanish gentleman's suit, and as Yugi looked his way his face lit up.

That scared Yugi worse than it would have if he'd looked angry, or worried, or surprised, but he didn't look away. Instead, he lifted his chin a little, shoulders straightening.

Diaz didn't smirk, or flinch. He simply bowed his head, acknowledging Yugi, and took his place at the back of the line along with Amos, Junon (who seemed a little subdued this morning), and a third boy who resembled him. _Must be Serra. His son, maybe? Brother?_

"I don't know if I like splitting up," Tèa said doubtfully.

"We can always join back up later," Bakura said soothingly. "Er--" He glanced at Mokuba. "There isn't any reason we CAN'T join back up later, is there?"

Mokuba shook his head. "Nope. We're just starting everyone off split up. If you want to grab a buddy after the tournament begins that's fine. Just remember: everyone's a legitimate target, and if you expect to move on, you're gonna have to get in those six duels as soon as possible."

"Right." Bakura chose a piece of paper, looked at it, and then surveyed the area due west of him. "Looks like..."

"Uh-uh!" cautioned Mokuba. "Don't let on where you'll be. Other people might be waiting to find out so they can ambush you. Just go there as quick as you can."

Bakura nodded. "See you later, guys," he said before he set off at a jog down Main Street.

Yugi looked at his own slip of paper. It seemed to indicate he should head northeast, towards the more mountainous side of Kirwin. "Good luck, everyone," he said, and stretched up for a kiss from Tèa as he left.

Joey's map pointed a little north and east (more easterly than anything else) towards the stables and the open area past them.

Pegasus wound up just behind Town Hall.

Tristan was to head due east towards the 'residential' area.

Tèa headed southwest, over behind the boarding house.

Long minutes of silence followed as each Duelist found their place and waited, to finally hear the deep tolling of the clocktower announcing the game was ON!

About the time Tèa arrived at the boarding house a soft voice spoke:

"Hey hey, my lucky day, pretty girl and sunny streets. C'mon, wanna Duel, huh?"

She turned to see the boy that'd been with Diaz-- Serra?-- smirking at her, Junon just behind him. "C'mon, what do you say?" he coaxed. "Perfect day, maybe I could take you for a soda after the Duel." He took a step in Tèa's direction.

A large hand descended on his shoulder. "No," Junon murmured. "Me."

"Huh?" Serra blinked up, staring at Junon; then he laughed. "So that's what you've been jumpy about all morning. Wanted to stake her out for yourself - sorry, bad metaphor," he added, "you know, stake, hot sun, Indians, Western movies... so anyway. Looks like Muscles here wants to buff up his rep by showing you what he can REALLY do."

"Fine by me," Tèa said, though her knees felt as if they wanted to just buckle right out from under her. This was the one, the man in her dream--

_Hey, wait. He WAS in the dream I had about Yugi. And, and he really seemed to be trying to be gentle with Yugi... It was like... like he didn't want Yugi to be sad._

_Maybe he didn't even want Yugi to be there in the first place._

Was there something like an apology in the giant's eyes? Something like a plea for understanding?

Despite herself, Tèa smiled at Junon. "It's okay," she said, not quite sure why she was saying it. "Let's Duel, Junon."

Junon smiled back slowly.

"Ah, this is TOO perfect." The light gleamed off Bandit Keith's ever present sunglasses as he watched Joey walk past his appointed 'ambush' spot. "I been waiting for a rematch with you, Wheeler--"

"Heyyyyy! Wait for me!"

"Damn." Keith did a quick fade as Rebecca ran up to Joey. "Slow down!" she half-gasped, half giggled. "I've only been chasing you two blocks now! It's Joey, right? I don't think we got properly introduced last time I saw you. but that WAS a few years ago when I Dueled Yugi. Maybe you'll give me a Duel?"

_Yeesh, it's Bratzilla_, Joey thought. Aloud he said, "Yeah, sure, Rebecca, ain't it? Ain't you Professor Hawkins' grand-daughter?"

"Sure am!" Rebecca nodded. "And my grandfather's here in town to cheer me on, so I just HAVE to win."

"Yeah, well, I ain't gonna make it easy on ya." Joey crouched, activating his Duel Disk. "Watch out, here comes Joey Wheeler!"

"Of course not!" Rebecca nodded firmly, one finger raising like a prim little teacher. "If you don't Duel your very best I WILL be insulted. I know I'LL be going all out. After all, a girl has to do something to help her get over a broken heart, right?" Leaning in, she confided, "I had this terrible crush on Yugi, you know. I mean, he's so CUTE and everything. But I saw him kissing Tèa Gardner in the square earlier, and I know a kiss of true love when I see it." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to find some other cute guy who's a great Duelist to be crushed out over." With a coy little smile she pushed her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Sundown saw a group of people trudging wearily back to the Silver Dollar. Last of all came Yugi, color high from the cool air outside and (no doubt) from running. "Hi everyone, sorry I'm late," he panted. "I got a challange right as the sun was going down, we had to finish. So what's up?"

"Looks like most of us are already in the second bracket," Bakura replied. "Except for Tris, but there are still four slots open."

"Yeah, well..." Tristan grimaced. "I got my buns toasted and handed over to me by that Japanese lady--"

"Isona Shizuka," Yugi interjected. "She's the Asian champion. We had a chat after our Duel this morning."

"Ooog, YOU Dueled her?" Tris laughed ruefully. "No wonder she was out for blood. How many fire engines responded to her crash and burn?"

"Tri-is!" But Yugi laughed, nevertheless.

"Anyway, first her, then Diaz. Man, gotta tell you, that guy's not kidding around." Tris rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't see any weird cards--couple of cards I haven't seen outside someone private collection, sure, but it's all legit. He strung me up and smoked me, though. I can't remember the last time I felt that.. I dunno... off balance. Nothing he did, nothing he said, but I just couldn't get it together."

"You don't think he DID something.. do you?" Bakura wondered.

"Search me. It's not as if I've got a mojo detector in my back pocket. I didn't feel anything weird, if that's what your asking, Then again, WOULD I feel anything weird."

"Good question, that. --Pegasus?"

"Mm?" Pegasus looked up from his perusal of a painting on one wall.

"If Diaz cast some type of spell over Tristan to, say... distract him, disorient him... well, let's back up a second. IS there such a type of spell?"

"For distracting people? Not per se, that I know of, but there are spells that could be used to make one uneasy. That might prove distracting." Pegasus looked across at Tristan. "I don't see any residuals, but if the spell was cast on an AREA of the ground rather than on Tristan himself, there very well might not be. I suppose we'd better add Diaz-watching to our calendar for tomorrow."

"How about you, Joey? How'd you do?"

Joey grinned. "Took out Rebecca Hawkins AND Bandit Keith. Man, I thought he was gonna have a stroke when I blew him away with Red-Eyes. Oh! Yeah, dat reminds me. Rebecca's granddad, you remember, Professor Hawkins? He's in town, turns out. Came t'see her Duel. Ain't he th' guy that discovered a lotta that Millenium stuff?"

"He sure is. What's your point?"

"Maybe we oughta have, I dunno, a pow-wow with him? Maybe he knows somethin' about dat ancient stuff. Somethin' he ain't necessarily spread around cause he doesn't wanna sound like a looney."

"It certainly bears looking into." Bakura looked thoughtful. "He WAS the one who postulated the ancient Egyptians played Duel Monsters. I think Joey might be on to something."

"He's not staying here," Tèa said, "but I dueled behind a boardinghouse today, do you suppose he might have a room there?"

"It's worth a shot." Tristan stood up. "Let's go check it out."

* * *

The boardinghouse owner, a plump gentleman by the name of Billingsworth (so he said) was only too happy to show the group to his best front parlor while he took word up to 'his distinguished guest from Britain, Professor Hawkins'. Presently the man himself appeared. "Why, if it isn't Yugi," he said. "My boy, how are you?"

"Hi! Professor Hawkins!" Yugi jumped up and ran over, taking both of the Professor's hands in both of his.

"Good heavens, have you grown a bit? I'd swear the last time I saw you, you and Soloman were of a height."

"Maybe a little. I don't think I'm EVER going to be very tall though."

"Oh, never mind about that; some of history's most famous men weren't particularly large of stature." Letting go, the Professor clasped his hands behind him. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting some of your friends here..."

"Well, you know Joey, Tristan, and Tèa, right? This is Bakura, and this is Mr. Pegasus. Everyone, this is Professor Arthur Hawkins. He's a friend of my grandpa."

"Good grief, just make me sound old, why don't you. 'Mister', indeed." Pegasus put out a hand. "Maximilian Pegasus, sir, Pegasus to my friends, or perhaps Max."

"Or 'Peggy'," and Joey snickered.

"A pleasure to meet the creator of Duel Monsters. Oh, By the way, Rebecca sends her regrets, it seems 'Duelist International' magazine has sent some representatives here and they're doing mid-tournament interviews."

"Ugh, reporters," and Yugi made a face. "Sure hope they don't catch up to me."

"Oh, I'm certain Rebecca can keep them busy. Now..." Professor Hawkins swung the parlor door shut. "Why don't you tell me what it is you needed to see me about."

Yugi was quiet a moment, marshalling his thoughts; then he asked, "Professor, what can you tell us about the time of the Pharoah?" He held up the Millenium Puzzle. "The Pharoah who held this. It's the same Puzzle as the one shown in that stone panel you found isn't it?"

"Pharoah Atem, you mean. Ahtemahu, 'gentle protection of heaven'. Usually shortened to Atem, or Atemu. At least, that's what my research leads me to believe may have been his name."

"Atem..." Yugi repeated. _So that was his name... _

"To answer your other question, yes, I believe that IS the Puzzle that belonged to Atem, otherwise known as the Lost Pharoah." The Professor chuckled. "Although most people would say that's not unusual. Large portions of Egyptian history had a way of vanishing, mostly because of a certain custom they had.

"In times of great disasters or some event that was either too grand or too terrible to remember, very often the Egyptians would 'erase' any records of the person or persons in that event after they died. They'd simply pull down the monuments, chisel the names off the stones.. as if they wished to deny the person who brought about such change ever existed. Witness for example the Pharoah Amun, who tried to re-organize the entire Egyptian mythos and religious structure from polytheism -- that's the worship of multiple gods-- to monotheism, the worship and existance of a SINGLE deity. He met terrible resistance from the priesthood of that time and was eventually murdered. We know his successor a little better: Tutahkamun, or 'King Tut'. But of Amun almost NO records exist, because the priests decreed his heresy was so great he should be wiped from the face of the earth." He caught himself, laughed. "There, you see, I'm already starting a lecture."

"So what you're saying," Tristan said, "is that this Pharoah Atem--" he glanced briefly out of the corner of his eyes at Yugi. "Got 'erased'?"

"Yes. And to a tremendous extent. Although there are large gaps in ancient Egyptian history, generally we're able to piece things together from the history of the surrounding areas. Please understand, Egypt was NOT a unified country. It was divided into Upper and Lower Egypt, and each region had its own dynasties. But in the case of Atem, almost all mention of him was destroyed. The pieces I unearthed and put on display in the Museum of Cairo-- the same ones you all saw on loan to Domino Museum-- are among the few pieces that tell anything of him at all, let alone his times.

"But I HAVE managed to piece together a few things. Of course you all know my theory that in the ancient times Egyptians played a version of Duel Monsters, but not as a game. I believe now that the knowledge of these 'Dark Games' or 'Shadow Games' was almost exclusively reserved to Atem's kingdom, most likely to the Pharoah and his advisors in particular. Naturally, if any arcane force wished to CONQUER Egypt, they would have to attack Atem's kingdom first."

"So there were other mages in those days," Yugi said.

"Most definitely. The bit on the stone, you remember, the cartouche showing the Pharoah in combat-- the story there is that a band of dark mages - now, 'dark' probably being synonimous with 'evil' - approached the Pharoah Atem. We don't know what they had in mind, but it was something the Pharoah objected to, because the kingdom immediately prepared for war. Let me see now, how did it go... 'And the Great House rose up over all; and they held back the magic of the darkness by the magic of the shadows.'. Great House, you understand, is the literal translation of 'Pharoah'."

"It would be two different kinds of magic, then," mused Yugi.

"Yes." Arthur looked at Yugi for a moment; then he put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Tell me," he said. "Tell me everything. I think perhaps it's time I knew. Solomon didn't find that Puzzle of yours by mistake; he always said he was guided to it. Whose hand guided him, Yugi? And why is it so important now?"

As quickly as he could, Yugi sketched out the details of his assembly of the Puzzle and everything that'd happened form that point on. Professor Hawkins listened intently, and when the youngster was done he sighed, stroking his mustache once more. "Dear me," he said mildly. "Rather an interesting turn of events... Very well." He looked solemn. "I'll tell you what I know, including something that I've never told anyone else. Even today I find it hard to believe, you see, but considering the person who told me about it... well, I'll let you decide for yourself.

"Solomon found that Puzzle many, many years ago in a remote section of Egypt some three or four hundred miles southeast of present-day Cairo." Professor Hawkins smiled. "I wasn't with him at the time, but I understand it was a horrible experience. He'd hired a couple of guides that he didn't quite trust, you see, but he needed the help, and I wasn't available. He wasn't sure we could afford to wait till I was free to go with him, either, because the tomb-robbing trade is still very much thriving over there despite the government's best efforts.

"During the exploration of the crypt, the guides tried to kill Solomon, but were themselves caught in some of the tomb's ancient traps. Solomon made his way on alone, and found that the central chamber contained nothing but a pillar over a vast gulf in the earth-- so deep his lamp couldn't penetrate to the bottom. The only path was a tiny bridge so slender he felt more secure crawling over it on hands and knees.

"As he approached the pillar, Solomon told me, the air seemed to change, and looking up he saw the pillar ablaze with light. In the center of the light was the translucent figure of a young man, clad in the robes of an Egyptian king. This figure leaned towards him and said, in perfect Hieratic-- which was the ancient language of Egypt-- 'Shimon, I have been awaiting you.' Then it vanished, and in its place was a small golden casket. The moment Soloman laid his hand to the casket, the entire chamber began to tremble, and he escaped just before it caved in and was lost forever."

"Shimon?" Tristan asked, puzzled.

"That's an ancient variation on the name 'Soloman', or 'Suleman', if you will," explained Arthur. "In any event, he was very excited about his find, and you may imagine so was I. I'm afraid we, ah, pulled a few strings and twisted a few arms to secure the rights to get the box out of the country. That's not something I normally indulge in, but this particular time it seemed somehow frightfully important. You must understand, the Egyptian government requires that archaeologists turn over everything that can be considered 'treasure' to the authorities.

"You can imagine our surprise when we found the box contained what appeared to be an intricate puzzle crafted of solid gold, with the unmistakable symbol of the Lost Pharoah on one piece. We immediately set about assembling it-- or TRIED to in any event. Neither one of us could ever quite make heads or tails of how to fit it all together. It was almost as if the item defied our ability to reason it out. Oh, we sweated over it for months let me tell you." He chuckled. "I thought poor Solomon was going to pick the whole thing up and chuck it out the window more than once."

"I'm glad he didn't!" Yugi exclaimed.

"It was about Christmas time, I believe, that the telegram found us." Professor Hawkins looked down a bit. "I remember Solomon reading it and simply collapsing into a chair. I don't recall the exact words, but the gist of it was 'Come home at once. Terrible accident, your son and daughter in law killed, only survivor your grandson.'" He shook his head sadly. "Of course I packed Solomon off at once, and he wasn't hesitant to go; no. SORRY to go, certainly; and I was sorry to lose him. Your grandfather is a bit of a scalawag, Yugi, but one could never hope for a stouter or truer friend, and I knew that my expeditions would be the less for his input and advice.

"He took the Puzzle with him, at my request, both to keep it safe and to continue working on it, in the hopes of assembling it in my absence. Of course, you know already he never did put it together, and I think I know why. Simply put, it was never meant for our hands, but for yours and yours alone. Though WHY only you, Yugi, is anyone's guess."

"So where is the connection between what's happening now and all that?" Bakura asked.

"Well, stick with me a bit on this one," answered the Professor. "You'll recall the legend spoke of 'dark mages' that opposed the young Pharoah. Suppose that somehow these mages, some of them, ANY of them, or some of their followers perhaps, escaped the fall of the Pharoah's kingdom? If, as you say, there was a tradition that a particular family should safeguard the Pharoah's tomb (and I should like to have a look at that), why couldn't the OTHER side have had their own traditional duty, passed through generation upon generation? They might well have assumed that someday the Millenium Items would re-surface and be reclaimed by their masters. They did believe in in a form of reincarnation, you know, the Egyptians. That's what the whole issue of mummification was born of, a way to preserve the earthly body so that the wandering soul could return to it someday." Arthur looked round the circle of young faces solemnly. "What you may well be dealing with here are descendants of those ancient magi, trained in a form of magery that everyone else has long since forgotten, and dedicated to the conquest of the one person who stopped them last time: the Pharoah. And they too would have believed in his return. If that's so... then the words of the legend may be heard once again. 'And the Great House rose up over all; and they held back the magic of the darkness by the magic of the shadows'."

"So where does Yugi fit into this?" Tèa asked. "This Diaz seems to be targeting HIM."

"Well, if I had to make a guess, I'd say it's because he assembled the Puzzle. For whatever reason, by whatever decision of fate, that means Yugi is the Pharoah's direct link to this world. Remove that, and the Pharoah is powerless."

"It didn't seem like that, though. It seemed more personal." Tèa frowned.

"I just wish... I wish I knew more." Yugi looked shamefaced. "Yami knows more than I do, but he'd be the first to tell you there's lots of things he knows he SHOULD know and doesn't any more. Maybe it's all the time that went by before we found each other. Maybe it's something that happened back then. We were divided... but how? When? Why? Those are answers we're still searching for. Sometimes it seems like every answer we find just leads us to a whole new set of doors hiding the truth behind them."

"Mm. It does seem rather an impenatrable mystery, doesn't it?" Arthur smiled again. "However, Yugi, let me give you a piece of advice. In archaeology, many times it takes just the right piece of information, fitted into the right sequence, to make sense of something. It's no use in worrying about that you don't know at this point. Concentrate on what you DO know. That is, simply, that this Diaz fellow wants you out of the way, but apparently doesn't mean you any real harm. He wants you alive and unharmed. That puts a certain limit on what he can and cannot do to you. I'm afraid right now you have to play a waiting game, let Diaz make the next moves, and try to understand what it is he really wants. Eventually he'll reveal himself, say something that makes everything fall into place. Meanwhile, if there's anything else I can do for you..."

"Thanks, Professor. I think you've done a lot already."

* * *

"Psst."

"Huhwa?" Joey looked around as the group exited the boardinghouse.

_"Psst!"_

"Who's there?" Tristan dropped into a crouch, hands up in fists.

"Jus' me." Amos stepped out of the alley. "Listen, could I have a little palaver with you folks? It shore would mean a lot t'me. Junon too."

"And why should we trust you?" Tèa folded her arms. "You're one of Diaz's friends aren't you?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call us 'friends'..." Amos scratched the back of his neck. "You got a point, though, ma'am, there ain't a whole lot of trust I can inspire in y'all... sorry I bothered you."

"No, wait!" Yugi put out a hand as Amos turned away. "Come on back to our rooms in the hotel... unless.. you don't want anyone to see you talking to us."

"That's kinda th' idea. How's about we all take a walk down to the town stables? Don't reckon anyone here's too fond of horses."

"So what's on ya mind, Southern Boy?" Joey asked as they walked.

"Give it a second. There's somethin' I need to show y'all to go along with this little story." Amos swung open the stable door and whistled. A soft rustle and Junon emerged from a stack of hay, brushing off a few bits of straw. Amos nodded to him, then turned to the others. "I shore am sorry to let y'all see this, but.. might could be it's the only way t'convince you we need your help." To the larger man he said, "Show 'em."

Junon looked around doubtfully.

"Go on, it's all right."

Standing, Junon moved to one side and politely said, "_Pardon_," before he reached up and unbuckled his jeans, letting them slide down, and took off his boots. When he did, he revealed one leg that was a bit scarred but otherwise normal... and one leg that was decidedly NOT normal. From about the midpoint of the thigh down it was a twisted, ruined mass of tissue that resembled several pieces of modeling clay squished together into the rough outline of a limb. The foot was less a foot than a club of flesh, and the entire knee structure was twisted at a 20-degree angle out from the body. It never should've been able to bear his standing weight, much less allow Junon to move about freely.

And still it did.

"OH-" Tèa turned away, pressing the back of one hand to her mouth.

"It ain't pretty," Amos said softly into the silence, "but if it weren't th' way it is, ol' Junon here wouldn't be alive. See..." Amos sighed. "Ain't neither one of us exactly what we seem. Me myself, I'm just a mite older than a man ought to be." He smiled, but it was a bittersweet expression at best. "You wouldn't know it t'hear me most times--I try t'hide my accent when I can-- but I come from the sovereign state of West Virginia." This said with some pride. "Course, when I was born, wasn't any such a thing as 'West Virginia'. West Virginia was created an' joined the Union in 1863, just in time f'r me to join up with the Federal troops."

"The CIVIL War? The AMERICAN Civil War!" Yugi gasped.

"Yessir, that's what they called it."

"That would make you..." Yugi fell silent, eyes wide.

"Right at 158." Amos nodded. "I served under Mr. Diaz in the war-- he was my platoon's captain. Junon here, he's a mite more recent than I am. He comes from World War One."

"GUH," Joey said, gaping. "You gotta be kiddin' us."

Pegasus, meanwhile, was staring at Junon's leg. From behind the fall of his hair a golden light glimmered. "Oh my God," he said, and sat down, not caring what he landed on (a bale of hay, fortunately). "It's magicked. It's being held together by magic."

"Diaz deadened some of the nerves some which of a way," Amos explained. "Junon has enough feelin' to know how to walk nigh onto normal, nothin' else. Otherwise he couldn't walk at all from the pain.

"Way I heard tell, Diaz come up on Junon right as he tripped the wire on a mine. Took his leg clean off. Got him and the pieces-parts of his leg up into a car car, got the blood loss slowed down long enough for Diaz to weave what they had back t'gether."

Junon nodded. "_Oui_," he agreed, pulling his jeans back on.

"Oh jeez dis is... I dunno..." Joey paced around, distracted. "Dis is just screwed up, yanno?"

"Okay. Okay. What about this Serra guy? Is he like you two?" Tristan asked.

"Can't say f'r sure. I do know Serra is least as old as I am, but if he's really Diaz's son or if'n he's just a storm-crow like th' rest of us, I never asked and wa'ant never told. Always got the idea he really is Diaz's son though. Diaz is pretty protective of him." He looked disgusted. "Somethin's pure out not right about that boy. I'd be afraid to leave a litter of kittens around him, you know what I mean? He can be downright poison-mean, f'r nothing else than the sheer cussedness of it.

"Works for us, though; he don't think much of Junon, here, so more often than not he'll let his tongue flap at both ends where Junon can hear it. And this ol' boy over here's got a darn good memory when he sets his mind to it." Amos reached over and gave Junon an affectionate little tap on the shoulder with one fist. "Anyways.. I was wonderin' if maybe you folks could help get Junon here outta this mess. I ain't got any regrets, myself, does anything happen t'me. I always figgered Diaz was keepin' me around somehows cause I was useful to him. Junon tends to listen to me a mite more'n he listens to others." Amos looked around. "I surely would take it as a kindness if you'd look after Junon for me, though, if things turn off bad. That's... that's all I wanted t'ask you."

"I'm afraid my esoteric knowledge isn't of much help here." Pegasus sighed. "Most of what I learned, I learned trying to understand what it is I can do with my art. You won't BELIEVE the sheer mounds of misconception, wishful thinking and outright exaggeration I had to wade through to get any idea of what REAL magic is like. It's too bad, really; Diaz apparently has a huge advantage on us there. THESE days try finding someone who really believes in and regularly practices magery (present company and their relatives excepted) and you'll be looking for a while." He thought a moment. "Amos... Junon. Have either of you ever heard Diaz mention something about 'dark mages'?"

"Dark mages..." Amos paused as Junon held out a hand. "What, you recognize that?"

"_Oui, j'ai entendu parler des magiciens, il les appelle des mages de chaos_." Junon waved his arms, then plucked at Bakura's arm. "_Sil vous plait, dites-leur ce qu'ai voulu dire je?_"

"He said Diaz calls them 'Chaos Mages'," Bakura translated.

"Chaos..." Pegasus mused, then held up a hand. "Maybe... I think I have an idea."

"So let it out, the rest of us are dying here," Tristan said, exasperated.

"Well.. 'Chaos' is sometimes defined as 'the confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distinct forms'. Random. Changing. And an integral part of change is entropy, the degree of disorder or uncertainty in a system. Everything runs down, wears out, breaks, falls apart, returns in the end to the random. Now suppose that Diaz has some amount of influence over chaos and therefore over entropy. That would explain both the leg and the unaging. The forces that wind everything down are being nullified in a small part of Amos and Junon. They change not; therefore, they age not. They're in a kind of stasis." Pegasus looked grim. "And that unfortunately makes things much, MUCH worse than I thought."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said.

"What IS the Shadow Realm but a formless, ever-changing void? It's as near as possible to a true state of chaos as we can withstand: a place where 'as you will, so shall it be.' I really don't think I want Diaz in control of the Realm. No, not at all." One by one he looked around the group, meeting everyone's eyes. "Whatever Diaz has in mind, whatever he needs Yugi for, we cannot afford to let him succeed. Not just for Yugi's sake, but for the whole world. Diaz must be stopped, and let me say it plainly, so there is no misunderstanding. I'm not speaking from malice, or ill-intent, but he MUST BE STOPPED.

"Even if we have to kill him to do it."

"No!" Yugi's fists clenched. "I can't agree with that. I know I couldn't take anyone's life. I've already had that choice put in front of me, and I just couldn't do it. If it comes down to it... I'm not sure what I'll do." He put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, everyone... my HEAD tells me Pegasus is making perfect sense. My HEART won't listen."

"Don't sweat it, bro." Tris nodded at Joey. "Think I speak for us all in saying nobody else wants it either. So we put Diaz out of action without hurting him. Next issue."

"Junon." Yugi gripped the Puzzle in both hands and let his fingers wander over it, feeling the almost hairline edges where the pieces fit together. Just the touch of the cool metal seemed to clear his head. "There has to be a way to safely restore his leg. We'll just have to find it. That's the only way we can get him AND Amos away." He looked over at the pair. "I can't leave either of you with him."

"So our next move is...?" Bakura said.

"Finish the tournament. That'll keep Diaz busy while we do our research. As soon as we feel we can get Amos and Junon safely away, I think I know how to stop Diaz for good without hurting him. He can't use his magic, or do anything to me, if he doesn't remember why he's doing it, or HOW to do it." Yugi looked up. "I hate it, but... I'll have to try to use the Millenium Rod to make him forget. I hope I can do it; the Rod isn't my item, I may not be able to convince it to work for me. But it's the best shot we have." Yugi looked over at Junon and Amos. "Do you think you guys will be all right...?"

Amos nodded. "Diaz isn't worried about us turnin' coat, remember? Might even like it if we made friends with you-- he'd probably see it as another card t'play on the little Prince here." He looked away. "I don't like th' thought of that, tell you true."

"It's all right." Yugi put out a hand, touched Amos's arm. "We know. You just worry about staying safe, and let us worry about how to set you two free."

"Before ya go..." Joey held up a hand. "I gotta question. Either'a you guys know what's up with dis 'Prince' thing?"

"But he IS," Amos said, puzzled. "I thought y'all knew that."

"Play along wid'me here." Joey leaned in. "Act like we don't know nothin'. What Prince? Prince of what?"

Junon plucked at Amos's sleeve. "_Ce qui sont elles demandant environ, Amos_?"

"Yugi. They wanna know-- shoot-- um, _ils veulent_, uh, _savoir pourquoi il est le prince_."

"_Ah, ah_!" Junon's face lit up with a huge smile. "_Puisqu'il Yugi est le prince de la lumière, naturellement. Le petit prince du monde_."

Bakura stared. "He did NOT say that."

"What? What'd he say? WHAT! Spill it!" Joey made a grab for Bakura, pulled the other boy almost nose to nose.

"He, ah, he said that Yugi's the Prince of Light. The little Prince..." Bakura swallowed. "Of the entire world."

"...I'm... what...?" Yugi stammered.

"That's what Diaz keeps tellin' us," Amos said, shamefaced. "Says th' little guy's here's a heap more important than he knows, but he's bein kept from realizin' it by that Pharoah feller. Says the Pharoah's usin' your friend here."

"That's not true!" Yugi burst out. "Yami would never-!"

"Whoa, now, hold on there," Amos held up his hands placatingly, "all we're sayin' is that's what Diaz thinks."

"I think that's a moot point right now." Pegasus jerked his head towards the door. "We're in the middle of a tournament; the longer we stay out of sight, the more likely it is someone will come looking. We have that answer Professor Hawkins told us we might find. Diaz believes Yugi has a hidden power that the Pharoah is preventing him from discovering; therefore, the logical answer is to remove Yugi from Yami's presence."

"Makes a LOT of sense," Tristan agreed. "And so's what Pegasus says. We need to get back out into the real world."


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

_'Yugi, do you want to--'_

_No. Just... no. Please. I need to think about this alone._

_'...Very well...'_

_Shoot, now I've hurt his feelings._ Yugi groaned and clutched at his head as if it would make his mind stop turning in circles. _This can't be happening. I don't want it to happen. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for ANY of this!_

_Why! Why is it always me? Why am I the one that always gets singled out... picked on... I just wanted us all to live our lives in peace. I figured eventually someone new would come along, eventually I'd lose a Duel, and someone else would be the King of Games. Somebody else in the spotlight. Some other kid being chased by Duelists and interviewers. Not me. Not me!_

_How long do I have to carry the whole world on my shoulders! How long do I have to be responsible? How long do I have to stand up and get kicked?_

_When is it MY turn...?_

_I don't wanna be here any more. I want to go home. I want to tell Kaiba to shove his tournaments and leave me alone. I don't ever want to Duel again. Because it's never going to end. This is the way my life is going to be for as long as I live. Assuming I GET to live my whole life. Assuming some nutcase doesn't come along and kill me._

_I'm so tired of being the one who can't give up._

_But..._

_But that's really what it's about, isn't it? If I can be strong, for them.. they can be strong for me.. and for themselves too. Joey told me he didn't like himself very much till he became my friend. Then he started to see things in himself he COULD like. He started to BE someone he could like. What would've happened to him if I hadn't wanted a friend? If he hadn't become my friend? And Tristan too... Tèa... Bakura... Mokuba..._

_I've touched a lot of lives. I've put a lot of people in danger... but they were there because they had someone to believe in. SOMETHING to believe in. Something to give them faith and hope to go on, and we did. We made it, every single time. I'm just so afraid of the time when I can't be strong enough. I couldn't bear it if I let the people I love down. I think I'd crawl way down into the darkest corner I could find and stay there forever, if that happened._

_I can't. I can't give up. That would make everything I've ever said, all I've done, all I believed in, a lie. I'd be lying... to everyone... especially to myself. I put the Puzzle together-- eight YEARS I worked on it-- because I believed, I hoped, I dreamed, that I would find my heart's desire. The friendship and faith and trust I always wanted. If something's worth fighting for, you can't just give up when you get tired! You have to pick yourself up and go on._

_Just like--_

_Just like all the years when there wasn't anyone but Grandpa and Tèa... when I was alone... when every bully in town picked on me because--_

_Because I wouldn't, couldn't let them hurt anyone else. Because I--_ Yugi sat straight up. _I believed I was strong enough to take it and get back up. And if you believe hard enough in something, long enough, sometimes.. miracles... _he cupped the Puzzle. _Yami-! Pharoah-- Atem--- I'm sorry-!_

_'No, don't. Don't apologize. Not for being human, Yugi. Everyone doubts themselves sometimes. It's only the truly strong that can go past the doubt and hold onto their faith.' _Translucent hands rested on the smaller boy's shoulders. _'You taught me that, Yugi. You taught me that the hardest thing in the world is to go on hoping when all hope seems at an end. I've always known how strong you were. Always. Your heart is stronger than mine. That's why our bond... why YOU... mean so much to me. You ARE my hope. You've always been the one who wouldn't let the light go out. Do you remember, at the beginning of Battle City, you asked this before? "What if I fail? What if I lose you?" Do you remember what I told you?'_

Yugi squinched up his eyes, trying hard not to cry._ You said, "I believe in you."_

_'I still do.'_

Yugi nodded, wiped his face. _We'll make it?_

_'We'll make it. I promise you that. I have no idea what gave Diaz these ideas about you. I have no idea if there's any truth to them, or if he's simply a madman who has pinned all his ambitions on you. It doesn't matter. The one thing that DOES matter is stopping him, before he harms anyone else in pursuit of his folly.'_

"You're right," Yugi said aloud. "And I AM sorry. You'd think after all this time I'd've learned some of YOUR self-confidence."

_'May I tell you a secret?'_

"Sure."

_'Sometimes I'm not nearly as confident as I seem. But I ACT confident. It's something along the lines of what you were thinking earlier. If you believe in something long enough, sometimes it comes true. Sometimes, when I act confident, I even make myself believe it.'_

"You're kidding me."

_'On my honor, I'm not.'_

Yugi shook his head a little, wonderingly. "There's still so much I don't know about you."

_'There's still a lot we don't know about each other and OURSELVES. Life is a journey of discovery. The day we stop seeking the truth within ourselves is the day we begin to die. I truly believe that.' _Yami moved over to sit across from Yugi. _'I've had occasion to think about that a lot lately. I know I've already agreed that we should visit Egypt someday. I think now that I was wrong to insist, in the beginning, that we NOT go there. I... I also didn't want things to change. I wanted our life together to go on just the way it had since the end of Battle City. I was afraid that whatever we might learn would change that. And that was wrong. My being afraid to change was wrong. Whatever happens as a result of the events we're going through, we can't be afraid to face our future. Either one of us.'_

"No time like the present." Yugi stood up, lifting his Duel Disk and snapping it into place on his arm. "Let's go, partner."

* * *

The morning was touched with a hint of fog that made the town ghostly and mysterious. The streets were much quieter, if a bit more desperate, as the remaining Duelists sought one another out in order to see who would make it to the second round.

By 1 PM that afternoon they had their answer.

FINAL LIST SECOND ROUND DUELISTS

_Yugi Motoh - Diaz Russio - Joey Wheeler - Isona Shikuza _

_Tèa Gardner - Maximilian Pegasus - Seto Kaiba _

_Rebecca Hawkins - Mako Tsunami - Tristan Taylor_

_Espa Roba - 'Bandit' Keith Howard - Amos Campbell _

_Junon D'Argenne - Serra Russio - Siegfried Mannheim _

_'I hope you know what you're doing,'_ Yami said, looking at the listing over the tops of the participants' heads, unseen by any of them.

Ba-Khu'ra smirked. _'If I am out of the tournament, then I can move freely about without anyone stopping me. With the aid of the Millenium Ring I can keep track of our little playmates, and listen in to their schemes.'_ He shrugged, one hand up. _'There will be other tournaments.' _

_'You surprise me, thief.' _

_'Do I?'_ A mocking chuckle. _'Well, then I must be worth SOMETHING, I suppose. I amuse the Pharoah.' _

_'I do not FEEL much like a Pharoah at this point,'_ Yami answered softly.

Ba-Khu'ra reached out and gripped Yami's arm. _'No doubts now. We've followed you this far. We need you to go on leading us.' _

_'...Khu'ra...'_ Yami hesitated. _'Thank you.' _

Another shrug, but the smirk was softer, now. _'Blame it on my light if you will. He's a bad influence on me. Or blame it on the fact that it gets tiresome being the only spirit around. Or blame it on the gods. It matters little. Someone needs to be your voice of reason; it might as well be me. There is no one more practical than a thief.' _

_'You will be careful.' _

_'Of course.'_ Ba-Khu'ra looked off across the town, his eyes narrowing. _'Your light is not the only one who's uneasy. What the giant told us--' _

_'Junon.' _

_'Yes. That... bothered me. It made me think of something, but what it was I can't recall. I only know it disturbed me. There is more than we know going on here, Pharoah.' _

_'Isn't there always?'_ Yami asked dryly, pressing his fingertips lightly to his own forehead a moment._ 'Just once I wish it could all be simple and straightforward. Riddles within enigmas within puzzles tire even those who love them, eventually.' _

_'No one promised you a simple life.' _

_'Then they have delivered amply on the promise, or lack thereof, and I am a man well-rewarded indeed.' _

Ba-Khu'ra blinked, then laughed._ 'A bleak joke, that, but I like it. Now what?' _

_'The rest of the day is free, I believe. Tomorrow begins the Desperado hunt.' _

_'I COULD always listen in at Kaiba's door to find out about these outlaws,'_ Ba-Khu'ra offered, a glint in his eyes as Yami rounded. _'Peace, mighty Pharoah, it was a jest. I know that smacks a bit too close to cheating for you. But you expected me to say it, didn't you?' _

_'Rogue.'_ Yami smiled. _'Yes, I did. I think I would've been disappointed if you hadn't. No matter if I agree with the idea, Ba-Khu'ra... don't hesitate to bring it up. I can't think of everything, and you see clearly where I don't.' _

_'To exist is to serve.' _Ba-Khu'ra bowed low._ 'In that case, if the day is one of leisure, I'm going to go rejoin my light and find a way to... amuse myself.' _He walked forward and simply stepped into Bakura, vanishing. Yami hesitated one moment longer, looking upwards._ 'Ra, shed your light upon us, even in the greatest darkness,' _he murmured._ 'We shall have such need of your light.' _

"Congratulations to you all!" Mokuba stood on the city hall steps, grinning. 'You made it to the second round. Today's a free day, tonight there's going to be a grand party here at Town Hall, and tomorrow--" he crouched, making a 'gun' with his hand. "It's time to saddle up and round 'em up! The Desperados will be waiting. Remember, you have to find one AND beat 'em to advance. If you lose to them, you're OUT of the tournament."

The next day was the complete opposite of its predecessor; bright, sunny, a perfect day for picnics or barn-raisings or sitting out in the saddle watching the few faint clouds twist lazily in the breeze.

It certainly didn't look like the kind of day you should spend hunting for a 'dangerous Desperado', as the handbills now plastered all over town announced:

REWARD!

The Cactus Jack Gang is reported in the area.

Big reward for tracking them down and bringing

them in! --Considered Armed and Dangerous--

REWARD!

"Now, where d'ya think criminals like dat would head to?" Joey pondered. "Decisions, dee-cisions."

"I'm pretty sure they'll be in town," Yugi said. "I don't think they'd hide out in the countryside."

"Lot of town to search through," Tristan pointed out. "And we've got 11 other people competing to find them."

"Let's take it logically, then." Pegasus unfolded a parcel of paper. "Here's the map I got in the first round. Shall we divide the town into five areas, and each of us check that area first? If nothing turns up, we can always move on to searching at random."

"Works fa me." Joey studied the map. "I'll take... dis piece over there."

"Oh yeah, near the saloon," joked Tristan. "Gonna check out the dance-hall girls?"

"NO WAY!" Joey snarled. "Like any of 'em would hold a candle to Ma-- UH-- like I would be interested in'a shallow relationship based on mere physical attraction."

"Okay, who are you and what'd you do with my friend Joey Wheeler?"

"I'll take, um, this one," and Yugi tapped the top edge of the map. "Says there are some old mines up there. I'll bet that would be a great place to hide in."

"I'll try by the bank," Tèa said. "That means at least part of the way I'll have a cowboy to protect me--" she winked at Yugi.

"That leaves the... stables or the far side of town, by the church." Tris shrugged. "Guess I'll try by the church."

"I'll take the stables." Pegasus folded the map back up and tucked it away. "Good luck, everyone."

* * *

Three hours later Joey was wondering where the cool morning had gone. "Winter, sheeyaa, right," he grumbled. "Okay, smart guy Tristan Taylor, I AM goin' to the saloon. For a DRINK." He did an abrupt about-face and headed for the building to his left, from which the sound of a honky-tonk piano beckoned. Swinging the doors open, he advanced confidently,blinking as his eyes adjusted from bright day to the dimmer interior of the saloon. "Yo, barkeep! Gimme a sass, uh, sarse-- oh, d'heck with it, gimme a root beer."

In one corner a head lifted slightly and eyes regarded him warily from under the brim of a white hat.

Leaning on the edge of the bar, Joey accepted the root beer and started to take a swig, doing his best imitation of Clint Eastwood (well, visually anyway) as he scanned the crowd, wondering which of them might be a legitimate target.

He didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Reach for the sky, partner," a husky voice said as a nailed finger tapped him in the ribs. "I"m calling you out."

The response was a classic spit-take. The bartender quietly sidestepped the spray, never missing a beat in his glasspolishing.

"God, Joey, say it, don't spray it." Mai waved a hand in front of her, making a face as she did so.

"Muh- Muh- MAI!"

"Who else?"

"Buh, buh..." Joey gaped. "Wait a second, waitasecondhere, you-- you're a-?"

Mai had to repress a smile. "A Desperado? You bet I am. C'mon. Let's Duel."

"I CAN'T DO DAT! YOU'RE MY GIRLFRIEND!" Joey hastily clapped a hand over his mouth, but too late; the words were out.

Mai didn't seem bothered. In fact, her eyes were sparkling as she leaned in and purred, "Think of it as an extra handicap, Joey. Which one of us are you going to concentrate on harder: the Duel... or me?" She crooked a finger. "Let's find out."

It took them nearly two hours to complete the Duel. At first, Joey seemed completely unfocussed, making several mistakes that had Mai inwardly biting her lip. _Come on, Joey, you're better than this, _she said silently. _I accepted this because... oh, I don't know. Maybe I wanted to see some of that Wheeler fire for myself. You're going to NEED that edge. You've got to be able to Duel anyone down, anywhere._

When she finally slapped him down to 1500 Life Points, Joey seemed to snap out of his daze. "Okay, Mai," he said with a cocky smirk. "I guess I been slackin', huh?"

"You could say that."

"I'm not doin' either one of us a favor, am I? You need this Duel too. You wanna know if you've lost any of YOUR edge."

Mai gave a tiny gasp.

"So did I peg it, huh?" Joey waved a hand. "You an' me, Mai-- we're a lot alike in some ways. We gotta feel th' fire before we can really burn up da playin' field. So let's get down ta business, whaddya say?" He flipped a card over. "How's about I start with a little DRAGON fire-- courtesy my Red-Eyes!"

* * *

"So why'd you pick the bank, Tèa?"

"Come on, Yugi, where do outlaws ALWAYS head first in the Westerns? Besides the bar. The bank! I bet there's one planning a holdup right now."

"Uh... if you say so. I was never big on Westerns."

"Neither am I really, but I've seen a few. Mostly John Wayne movies."

They had just turned the corner and were passing the general store when a figure burst out in front of them, brandishing a shotgun-pistol back the way he'd come, a sack in the other hand and a few bills fluttering down in his wake. "Thank you, thank you," he said, bowing a bit, "now if you good people will just keep RIGHT on reachin' for the clouds, I'll be on my way." He turned, drew up short on seeing Tèa and Yugi. "Whoops. An audience. An ARMED audience, to boot. My my. Looks like I'll have to do a little fancy drawin'. --They call me 'Doc' Hartford." His teeth flashed white in his chocolate face as he gave Tèa his most winning smile. "And as ANY gentleman knows, it's ALWAYS 'ladies first'. Shall we Duel?"

Tèa giggled--she couldn't help it--at the dapper stranger. "We most certainly shall! I'm afraid I can't let a dangerous desperado like you escape," she said, falling into the roleplay. Stepping forward, she slotted her deck into her Duel Disk. "Let's Duel!"

The duel was rapid-fire and deadly. 'Doc' was playing a machine/warrior deck, and he went right for the win, slamming direct damage to Tèa's life points. She countered well, but when Doc managed to get The Last Warrior from Another Planet out on the field, its special effect of preventing either player from summoning creatures stopped Tèa's defenses cold. She couldn't get any creatures between her and Doc's attacks, and she simply didn't have enough magic or trap cards to defend her otherwise for long.

"I'm sorry, lovely lady," Doc sighed as Tèa's Life Points hit zero. "Afraid today I'm still a man on the run." He bowed and presented her with an envelope. Curious, Tèa opened it.

Inside the envelope was a small parchment:

**The bearer of this certificate is hereby acknowledged to have participated in, and achieved the second round, of Kaiba Corporation's 'Turn of the Cards' IDA sanctioned tournament. Upon redemption of this card at Town Hall anytime between now and the end of the tournament, you are entitled to receive a commemorative plaque engraved with your name confirming the fact, along with the free registration and gift of the Duel Disk unit provided to you for use in this tournament. In the event you already own a Duel Disk, a gift certificate for $1000 from the store of your choice will be provided as an alternative prize. Kaiba Corporation congratulates you and thanks you for your participation. **

"Wow," Tèa said, "that's.. not too shabby." She wrinkled up her nose. "I STILL wish I'd been able to win, but..."

'Doc' shrugged. "I've always been lucky at cards, I hate to say." Turning, he doffed his hat to Yugi. "And how about you, young sir?"

* * *

"Boot Hill." Tristan studied the weathered iron arch, then pushed open the gate and wandered in. The crosses and gravestones looked pretty real. He wondered idly if they were copies of real stones, or if the information on them was all made up, just more atmosphere. He was almost willing to bet on the former-- it would be just like Kaiba to put that kind of detail in.

The man standing near the back end of the cemetary, hat off, also looked very real. He was just turning to face Tristan, his attention having been caught by the noise of the gate. Sea-blue eyes under russet brows regarded Tristan steadily, then flicked down to his Duel Disk. "Deputy," he said quietly. "Well, it's not as if the mayor hasn't turned you folks out to make us feel less than welcome." He settled the hat in place, gestured. "How about we show a little respect for the people here and take it out on the street? They had enough fast-draws in their lives. Let them sleep quiet." He looked down at the gravestone he was standing by. It bore the legend ELIZA FOXX and two dates. "I'll be back, Eliza," he murmured. Then he squared his shoulder. "Zachary Foxx. Come on, deputy. I'll match my cards to yours any time."

_I don't know whether to kick Kaiba or congratulate him,_ Tristan thought. _That's almost a little too real. _"I'm agreeable, Mr. Foxx. You're right... these folks deserve their privacy," he replied. "I can spare a few minutes if you'd like..." he gestured towards the gravestone.

"Right kind of you, sir. I'd be obliged. You have my word I won't run out."

True to his word, Foxx stepped out of the graveyard shortly and took a stance. His deck was a 'beat-down' type-- it relied less on strategy than on pure brute strength, using a lot of power-up cards to turn his middle-of the road monsters into powerhouses. Tristan gritted his teeth. "This... is going to hurt," he growled.

"Wasn't meant to be a pat on the back, son."

* * *

"Hold it right there." A female voice, above him. Pegasus turned in time to see a woman with long straight red hair jump out of the hayloft of the stables and land gracefully in front of him, one arm poised over her Duel Disk, the bolero vest she wore doing wonderful things to the front of her shirt. She smiled mischeviously. "Looks like I caught myself one of the deputies. That's all right though-- I'll bet you're every bit as good as any of the rest of them. But have you got what it takes to take ME down?"

"That rather depends, doesn't it?" Pegasus drawled. "Looks can be SO decieving. You appear to be nothing but a lovely young woman, but I'll wager that under that charming chest there beats a heart of purest diamond-- every bit as perfect as the rest of you, but oh so cold."

"OOoooo." The woman narrowed her eyes, chuckling. "You're a CHARMING one. I might just hate myself a little after this. MIGHT. --The name's Niko, by the way."

"Maximilian Pegasus."

"Winged horse... let's see if I can tame you." Niko raised her Duel Disk. "Your play, deputy."

"Letting me go first? That's your first mistake, I fear. Welcome to MY world." Pegasus turned the card in his hand. "TOON World, that is."

Niko's eyes widened. "WHAT the-!"

"Never seen this particular, ah, caliber of weapon before, dear? Don't worry. It's one of a kind, custom built. And I'm SO fond of it, I just love showing it off to everyone I fight. Usually it's one of the LAST things they see." Pegasus smirked. "Now let me introduce you to another of my favorite cards... Toon Gemini Elves. After all, fight fire with fire, right? Or perhaps in this case it's, 'fight a lady with two more ladies'."

* * *

The next morning, the bulletin board had changed yet again.

THIRD ROUND CONTESTANTS WILL REPORT TO THE

FORTUNE'S END GOLD MINE NO LATER THAN ELEVEN

O'CLOCK AM (11:00 AM) THIS MORNING. BRING YOUR DECK

AND BE READY TO DUEL. MATCHES WILL BE ANNOUNCED

ONCE EVERYONE HAS ARRIVED.

THIRD ROUND: YUGI MOTOH JOEY WHEELER

MAXIMILIAN PEGASUS DIAZ RUSSIO TRISTAN TAYLOR

AMOS CAMPBELL JUNON D'ARGENNE SERRA RUSSIO

"Oh dear, mines," Bakura said with a little shudder. "That's a bit too much like caves to suit me."

"Yeah, I can just bet any boulders that come rolling at us here won't be weather balloons with tape players inside them," Tristan added.

"And I thought that was such a NICE touch," Pegasus protested. "That and the skeletons. It was just an overgrown haunted house, after all..."

"Yeah, well, we didn't exactly KNOW that, did we? The caves on your island don't have a 'Welcome to the Pegasus Haunted Caverns' plastered on 'em anywhere."

"Half the fun is the element of surprise."

"Come on, everyone," Yugi said. "Let's get this over with."

"Hey, uh, Yuge, you, ah, feelin' okay dere?" Joey said, falling into step beside his best friend as the all walked that way. "You don't sound like your usual chipper self."

"I'm not, Joey. I'm really worried. I get a bad feeling about this."

"Ahhh don' sweat it." Joey looped an arm around Yugi's shoulders and hugged him awkwardly. "You're the man, remember? You beat Kaiba, you beat Marik when he was havin' that not-so-fresh feelin', you beat all the nutsos they've thrown at'cha. You're gonna be fine. Trust ol' Joey on this. You got what it takes, and I AIN'T just talking about the bling-bling there." He nudged the Puzzle. "You got all of us on ya side. So don't worry. You're gonna win."

"Thanks Joey." Yugi smiled a little.

Inside the mine an old-time lift was set up to take them further in. It descended into what seemed like an endless darkness, but what really must've been only 50 feet or so before it stopped and let them out in a passage unlit save for the circle of illumination at one end.

Once they got to the chamber in question, everyone stopped, looking around in wonder. They were on the floor of a natural cavern, the sides of which were dotted by crystals here and there, and lit by strings of tiny lights everywhere, giving the place almost a festive air. There was a large podium with seating behind it on one wall, offering a perfect view of the Dueling area.

At the podium stood Seto Kaiba, with Mokuba at his side, and a small group of technicians seated at an array of monitors, the one concession to the modern age (aside from the lights) that was visible. Over to one side a blond head was just visible, one delicate hand holding a magazine as Mai Valentine sipped a chilled cappucino. She waggled her fingers at Joey. "Hi there, champ," she called.

Joey grinned ear to ear by way of answer.

"Welcome to the third round," Kaiba said, his voice echoing through the cavern. "I hope you all got plenty of rest-- because no one is leaving this chamber until we have our finalists. So be prepared to Duel quickly and efficiently. The eyes of your peers are on you.

"Now as for your Dueling assignments." A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "They were chosen earlier this morning by random number generation." He flung out a hand, and part of the rock shimmered, revealed to be a holo-projection, to show a huge flat screen monitor with the following words:

**Joey v. Yugi **

**Tristan v. Diaz **

**Amos v. Serra**

**Junon v. Pegasus **

"Aw, geez!" Joey slapped a hand to his face. "Duelist Kingdom all over again!" He glared at Kaiba. "You set dis up, didn'tcha, freak?"

"No way!" Mokuba protested, taking a step forward. "The pairings were randomly determined. I'm in charge of security here, and I made sure nobody got any passes. And my brother doesn't cheat--he doesn't need to!"

"Well...okay den." Joey knew full well that even if Kaiba wasn't above pulling strings to make things work out his way, his little brother was about as honest as anyone this side of Yugi could get.

Kaiba smirked. "Of course, if you feel outclassed, you're welcome to forfeit the Duel right now, Wheeler. --No? Good," he added, as Joey glared searing radioactive death at him. "It ought to be amusing to see your run of luck grind to a halt. --You all have your assignments. Let's get started. Those who are not currently Dueling, come up to your seats behind me. Those who are about to Duel, take your positions. The person whose name appears first in the listings will make the first play."

"Come on, Joey," Yugi said, holding out a hand. "Just like before-- give me all you've got. Don't hold back."

"heh You kiddin' dere? No way I'm goin' easy on you, Yuge."

Yuugi chose a side of the Dueling arena and took a breath. _Let's do it! _He reached out, opening the doors of his mind wide, and felt the rush of power swirl around him as Yami joined with him. The briefest sensation of disorientation, past almost as soon as it registered; the feeling of suddenly being both participant and onlooker, and the reassuring sense of someone standing with him, closer than his own heart. He let go, then, surrendering himself to the union.

Yami drew his first five cards and studied them briefly, then lifted his gaze to Joey. "Your move."

And the lights went out.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

"Everyone remain calm," Kaiba said, raising his voice to be heard clearly. To his technicians he said, "What EXACTLY are you playing at!"

"I'm, I'm sorry sir," stammered one of the men. "I don't understand--we're showing full power, but it's like the electricity isn't getting through. Nothing's WORKING--"

"Call it applied entropy, if you will," a voice out of the darkness. "Murphy's Law-- I believe they call it that, don't they? 'Anything that can happen, will happen'?"

"Who are you!" Kaiba turned in the darkness, snarling. "What's the meaning of this!"

"The 'meaning', Seto Kaiba, is that your technology works here and now only as I wish it to." One single strand of lights came up, illuminating Diaz, perched on a rock. "And right now I don't want it to."

"You lousy--" Tristan started to get up, the operative word being 'started'. In the second he moved, the cables running to the KaibaCorp computers simply unplugged themselves and lashed back, winding around his wrists, coiling simultaneously around the arms of his chair and dragging him back down into it. "HEY!"

Yami whirled on Diaz, one finger jabbing out. "Stop this," he ordered. "NOW."

"I'm sorry, your Highness," Diaz said, "but this entire exercise was designed with one point in mind, and it isn't debating with you. If you wish your friends to remain safe, I suggest you let me talk to the little Prince. There are a great many large power cables in this room. A pity if they were to break-- you know how power lines thrash about, someone could get electrocuted very easily. And I suggest that anyone with certain..items... refrain from using them. The first hint of a Shadowling appearing and there will be... repercussions."

"You wouldn't."

Diaz narrowed his eyes. "Do you want to put that to the test with THEIR lives?"

For a moment Yami hesitated. Then he lowered his head. _'Yugi--' _

_It's okay._ Yugi took control of the body and stepped forward just a bit, so Diaz could see him clearly. "Okay, so, I'm here. What do you want?"

"Only to talk, little Prince. To tell you a few things, as a friend."

"FRIEND? HA!" Joey took a step forward himself, then froze as a cable parted at his feet and rose up, swaying to and fro like a cobra, tiny arcs of electricity snapping to and fro over the exposed wire. "You're nothing but a no good sunnuva-!"

"I'd expect you to say that. It's true, my actions haven't been that well considered in the past. But I think you'll understand much better once I tell the other side of the story." Diaz leaned his head back, gazing at the rock ceiling. "Let me see, where does it begin.. perhaps 5000 years ago? No... farther back than that.

"In the beginning there was Ialu, brother of Menes, who was the first Pharoah of Egypt. Menes founded his kingdom in the north, the portion called Lower Egypt, while his younger brother Ialu traveled south, into the great wastes, drawn by a holy vision. A vision of a kingdom between two mountains, fed by hidden springs from beneath the barren sands.

"Ialu was the first Pharoah of Ra-Atonakhen, the City of Shining Light, and the ancestor of the young Pharoah Atem--ah, you start, young Prince? You've heard the name, perhaps? Yes, Atem. A gifted child. A magical child. In him the mystic heritage of his forefathers ran strongest of all. You see, it was Ialu who first forged the kinship between the beings of the Shadow Realm and the races of men. And Atem was to be crowning glory of that line.

"Except for a troubling little prophecy." Diaz smiled thinly. "On the day of Atem's birth all the auguries were excellent. All the priests agreed his reign would be long. But there was one voice raised to give warning. Would you like to hear that warning? I know it well.

_"Hail to thee and farewell, O Beloved of Ra, Atem, who carries the colors of morning, noon and night, Keeper of men and more than men. Above all mortals' lot is thy destiny and thy sorrow. A mighty power shall rest in thy hands, but a great price shall be requited of thee. We shall not see thee before the Throne of Life, King and son of Kings, no more shall we see thee whole, with the sun on thy brow. Osirus has set thee free from his dominion, but forbidden thee to walk the Road of Souls. Anubis turns his head from thee and judges thee not. We shall not make for thee a resting-house; we shall not call out thy name to the Gatekeepers of the Houses of the Dead, saying, 'Hail to thee, Watchers of the Gates; let him pass within'. The people of thy Kingdom shall scatter to the four winds, and thy name shall be stricken from the stones; long shall be the wandering of thy twinned souls. Thou art beyond death and rebirth; always together, forever apart." _Diaz spread his hands. "And what was the old Pharoah, Atem's father, to do in the face of such disaster? Why, cast the troublemaker out into the desert to die of thirst and starvation." He leaned forward. "Except I'm afraid the oracle didn't quite fulfil HIS destiny. He didn't die. He was found by a group of people who welcomed him, nursed him back to health, helped him understand what was truly happening."

"This is nonsense," Kaiba said. "More mystic mumbo-jumbo."

"How strange, Seto Kaiba, to hear YOU say that." Diaz favored him with a thin smile before his gaze returned to Yugi's. "The Chaos Mages were the ones who rescued the prophet. They told him of their OWN auguries, which stated that the time had come for the world to be brought under a single rule, and that rule should be Atem's. HIS was the power; HIS was the right, as God-King over both Light and Shadow. So they approached the old Pharoah, Pharoah Akunumkanon, and told him of his son's destiny. DEMANDED that the boy assume his rightful place--under their careful tutelage and supervision, of course. In fact, it would be best for all if the infant were to be given to them, to be raised in the expectation of his grand destiny.

"Did Akunumkanon listen? No. He cast the mages out, and set his soldiers to harry them out of the lands of Egypt, as heretics and traitors. They in turn raised their forces-- both mystical and mundane-- to march on the city.

"Akunumkanon, in his fear, listened to evil advice. His advisor, Akunadin, who wanted his OWN son to rule, told Akunumkanon of a ritual to create seven mystical items of supreme power. With these items, Atem's future would be secure, for the mages would never dare to attack him and his advisors so long as they wielded these icons. Akunumkanon agreed... and Akunadin set about crafting the Millenium Items."

A soft exclamation from Bakura, in the heartbeat before his expression shifted to one of barely repressed murderous fury.

"Blood rituals, young Prince. The slaughter of an entire village, to fuel the mystic energies that made those items; blood, bodies and souls were poured into them. Of COURSE Akunumkanon was horrified when he learned, but the damage was already done, wasn't it? In trying to defy destiny, he was responsible for the murder of hundreds. Kuru Aruma... the City of Thieves... all its inhabitants slaughtered in a single night."

Yugi shook his head, eyes wide, hands clamped over his mouth in shock. _God, o God, I didn't know... that's why the Thief hated the Pharoah so much... _

"Akunumkanon had his advisor struck down, but as I said, too late. He himself, Akunumkanon, took ill not long after that-- some said it was a judgement from the gods, others said it was a broken heart, for he loved Akunadin.. they WERE after all brothers. And so he perished, leaving the throne unclaimed.

"Now in the land besides Atem, who was a baby then, there was but one other of royal blood who could've taken the throne. Akunadin's son, and Atem's cousin... Set'oh."

Kaiba made a choked noise at this. His temples were beginning to pound with a terrible sick pain that almost made him nauseous.

"But Set'oh," Diaz continued blithely, "would NOT take the throne. It is said in the moment that he first laid eyes on his infant cousin, his heart belonged once and for all to Atem. He became Atem's friend, playmate, protector, and ultimately his High Priest, wielder of one of those seven Millenium Items-- for of course no one but Akunadin and Akunumkanon knew their TRUE origin." He chuckled. "Oh and perhaps some thief, some ragged survivor of Kuru Aruma, who fancied himself a 'King of Thieves', and wanted revenge on the young Pharoah for the deaths of all he loved.

"Shall I go on?"

"Finish your story," Ba-Khu'ra said between clenched teeth. "So that WE may be finished with YOU."

"As you desire. Where was I? Ah. For some little while, peace in the kingdom." Diaz waved a hand. "The boy-king grew, and his High Priest saw to it he was trained in the ways of the Shadow Realm. Set'oh spared no effort in that-- he was the Pharoah's constant challanger, pushing his beloved cousin as hard as he could, till no one in the kingdom, not even Set'oh himself, could best Atem.

"Just as well he did, for the Chaos Mages were not to be outdone. They sent yet another delegation, this time to the young Pharoah himself, hoping HE would see reason. Instead, he refused them. He would not raise his hand to take control of the world and guide it; he would be content with his own kingdom, and if the rest of the world wished to join them, then they would join of their own will, in their own time. Foolishness! As if they would ever willingly submit themselves to the rule of one monarch, and a boy at that!

"If he would not respond to words of peace, then perhaps words of war would reach him. So the Mages made war upon Ra-Atonahken with their own magics and their own Shadowlings. Atem responded by weaving a magic requiring each Shadowling to have a physical focus in THIS world through which they might enter it, instead of coming and going as they chose, and the Shadowed Ones agreed. Bound to their images carven in stone, they were far less ready to hand.

"In time the Chaos Mages found a way around this, by preparing images cast in lighter substances-- etched metal plates, magically illuminated parchments--" Diaz cast a glance at Pegasus. "You see it's not SUCH a new idea after all, Pegasus. But it is a VERY old craft, and one it is difficult to find the proper artist for." He stood up, moving around the floor, gesturing. "And they laid siege once more to the city, having found and released the three greatest of the Shadowlings-- the God-Shadows, the creatures YOU call the Egyptian God Cards-- upon the face of Egypt. When the land was ravaged, and the people deepest in despair, they would strike a truce with the Pharoah, compel him to accept the dominion of all things."

"But he didn't," Yugi said in a thin, trembling voice, his hand so tight on the chain of the Puzzle his fingers were white. "He didn't."

"No, young Prince. Instead, he chose to enact one last ritual. Can you guess? Do you remember? No, how could you? YOU, little Prince, did not then exist. Not as you are now. You were one with the King, and that one was Atem. HE chose to sacrifice himself in a ritual that would seal the Shadow Realm away forever, beyond the power of anyone to reach. The Chaos Mages learned of the ritual, and tried to stop it. Alas, they failed. The Realm was closed--but not quite. Instead of the Millenium Items being lost in the Shadows forever, as Atem intended, they were instead enpowered with the ability to UNLOCK the Realm, to draw a portion of our world into it, or to summon its inhabitants here.

"But in one thing Atem did succeed; he died. And you, little Prince, you and the King, were born in that instant. You are the product of Atem's folly, the price HE never had to pay; you are the one who must carry the item he wished destroyed, an item wrought of pain and sorrow. All that you have lived through and suffered for has been on his account. Five thousand years your splintered soul has wandered, lifetime to lifetime, till now. Now your TRUE suffering begins.

"Tell me, little Prince. How old are you?"

"What..?" Yugi shook his head, dazed. "I don't.. why.. I'm, I'm nineteen. Almost twenty."

"Almost twenty," Diaz mused, then turned to the others. "Almost twenty, he says, your friend Yugi. Does he LOOK almost twenty? Does he look, in fact, nineteen? Eighteen? Younger? Has he ALWAYS looked younger? Have you never remarked on that?"

"So what?" Mai tossed her hair, trying to sound like her usual cocky, flippant self. "So Yugi's going to be a walking advertisement for clean living for a few more years. Exactly where are you going with this?"

"I've already told you. The prophecy. Remember its words. 'Osirus has set thee free from his dominion, but forbidden thee to walk the Road of Souls... long shall be the wandering of thy twinned souls. Thou art beyond death and rebirth'. Osirus is the God of the Underworld, the god of the dead. To be set free of his rule is to never pass into the realm of death." Diaz pointed at Yugi. "From the moment you welcomed the King into your body, into your heart, into your soul, you welcomed one final misery, one final curse, from which you can never be free without my help.

"Yugi Motoh-- you are immortal. You will never die. But all that you know and love WILL fade and perish and leave you behind. For all eternity."

Yugi shivered, eyes wide. "No, that.. It can't be.. wait.. Wait! You have to be lying to me. I've almost been killed before. There was a duel-- more than ONE duel--"

"In the Shadow Realm. Your spirit, I believe it was, that collapsed. For which we must commend your 'friend' Pegasus there. He was the first to exploit that weakness." Diaz bowed at Pegasus, who sat down abruptly, looking sick. "Your soul was almost lost to the Shadows forever. Your SOUL is quite vulnerable in the Shadow Realm, little Prince, as is the soul of ANYONE who enters, save the King. HE cannot take hurt from the Shadows. But here, in the world of Men and Light? You do not age. You will not wither. If you are hurt, you will feel the pain, and must heal from it. If you are sick, you must recover from that as well. But death will never enfold you. Age is powerless to touch you. But I see that you doubt me, and quite reasonably. It's only my word, after all, I could be lying. So I must present you proof of the matter."

Gradually, all this time as he spoke, Diaz had wended his way just a step or two ever closer to Yugi, and now, while everyone was still reeling, he leapt at Yugi like a great cat, grabbing a fistful of hair and yanking Yugi's head back till the younger man was forced to bend backwards. Diaz's other hand was already reaching into his coat front, drawing out a wicked looking dagger whose blade was triple edged, almost a triangle shape--

And driving it home in Yugi's heart.

Even as the dagger went home--

even as voices all round him cried out--

Seto Kaiba sank to his knees, eyes locked on the scene in front of him, shuddering, then grabbing the sides of his head as he curled into a ball. Something was moving and tearing loose inside him, like an avalanche, not to be denied. He screamed, or thought he did--

and the ghosts of his past swallowed him alive.

* * *

_Above them the stones are silent. _

_This is not as it should be; even here there should be the echo of the city above, faint as a sleeping cat's purr. But the movement of life through the streets had ended. _

_Now only the soldiers, and those few who choose to remain despite their Pharoah's orders, and the Shadowed Ones; these are all that fill the streets, and there are few, far too few perhaps. But none will leave him, not till the end has arrived and passed, whatever it brings. _

_The Pharoah has sent them away, his friends, his master of arms, even the little temple girl he loves; little priestess in training, she was his childhood darling and playmates became friends, became lovers. Their future, the city's future, seemed so bright. _

_Now it is all ashes. _

_--Why will you not let me do this! _

_--Set'oh.. I'm Pharoah. It's part of my duty as the chosen of the gods. To live for my people, and, if necessary, to die for them. I have no right to put this on anyone's shoulders but my own. I love you very much, but I will not tell you, 'go and die for me, cousin, because I'm afraid and I want to live'. _

_--ATEM..! _

_--Hush, now. These are old words and an old argument, and there's no more time for either. ...Are you crying? Please don't cry... _

_--Why not! My heart is breaking. Atem, don't you know what this means? If you go through with this, you will forever be denied the afterlife. Your soul will become the Guardian of the Thirteenth House, to stand between the kingdoms of men and shadows for all eternity. We will... I will.. never see you again. Not in this world or in any other. _

_--I know, Set'oh, I know. But there's nothing else to do. I thought when I linked the Shadowed Ones to the magical stone carvings we cretaed, so that one must have such a carving to summon them, it would slow the Chaos Magi down. Instead, they've found some way around it. Obelisk, Slifer-Osiris and Ra are loose upon the lands, and the dark Chaos armies follow hard on the heels of the storm. How long before the God-Monsters leave Egypt and sweep across the rest of the world? Who will protect them, those people in other lands? The Shadow Realm is the Ka of our world, Set'oh, YOU taught me that; its dark mirror, without which we are all incomplete. But for their sake and ours I have to do this. I can't let them be enslaved as our destroyers. I can't let us be destroyed by them. If that means an eternity, then an eternity it will be. And you... _

_--And me? _

_--You will be the next Pharoah. _

_--NO! Atem, I don't, I can't, I don't want that! _

_--You're the only one I trust, Set'oh. You're of royal blood, same as me. YOU might've been Pharoah if my mother hadn't borne me so late in life. Please, please forgive me, but there isn't anyone else I can turn to. I will close the door, and magic will dwindle as the Shadows are sealed away. In that hour, you'll lead our forces into the field. I pray to almighty Ra you'll have victory, and peace. _

_Bitter, bitter, how heavy the priest's heart; he accepts the poisoned words, though-- they feel poisoned, anyway, like acid melting into him. He almost wishes they were. Death would be a blessing, rather than endure this thought one moment longer, that his Pharoah will shortly be gone forever. _

_How he hates Dia-sekhem. _

_If the mad prophet were here now Set'oh would take the Millenium Rod and transfigure it into a spear, drive it through Dia-sekhem's black heart and let him dangle from it till he bled out. And all the while he, Set'oh, would be praying to the Guardians of the Twelve Houses, cursing the Chaos-lover, condeming his spirit to remain forever in his rotting corpse. And he himself would mummify Dia-sekhem and bury him so deep no one would ever find him and put an end to the man's suffering. _

_The god he was named in honor of, Great Set, would understand. _

_Instead he follows Atem into the ritual chamber and takes his place, thinking back even as long years of practice carry him by rote through the words. He remembers the first touch of a tiny baby's hand, the first look from eyes the color of the dawn's edge, and he wants to lie down like a jackal and howl. This is the one person in the whole world that means everything to him, the one with whom he is always patient, the cousin who is more like a brother or a son to him, and this is goodbye forever. _

_But he is the High Priest Set'oh, and he will not dishonor his Pharoah by refusing this one last order. _

_But there is something wrong, something out of place, he can feel the magics buck under his hands like a wild horse, and while he concentrates on that he doesn't notice till too late the assistant who is unbarring the doors. _

_The Chaos Magi are here. Not above, leading their armies; HERE, and they have come armed and armored, and the slaughter begins. _

_Out of the corner of one eye Set'oh sees the form he THOUGHT was Counselor Zarakem draw a curved knife and wade in beside him, slashing at the Magi; he will thank the white-haired stranger later, if he doesn't kill him first (and where is Zarakem? And why is the stranger carrying the Millenium Ring?) Though he may not have to worry about either. They're being overwhelmed, there's no time to call for help, he drops his foe with a strike of the Rod and turns to see-- _

_(no) _

_he sees Dia-sekhem holding Atem, bending him back _

_(NO) _

_and there is something bright and gleaming gold and red _

_(NO!) _

_and it is a blade, a blade buried in Atem's heart. _

_The last syllables of the incantation break and die away on Atem's lips. For a moment the silence hangs, then it tears apart as the spell misfires, the energies they have raised so carefully like a river gone mad. For a moment Set'oh sees clearly. Some life must yet remain in the pitiful figure on the ground, because it's reaching out a hand, one small hand, towards something that stirs in the darkness. _

_A taller form, confused, frightened, yearning, the dawning of a terrible understanding in his violet eyes as he reaches down towards the child that might be his twin on the ground, the bleeding dying Pharoah, except it's not-- _

_And the world ends for Set'oh, as he cradles the lifeless body to him, as tears stream down his face._

_He knows._

_He knows what his vision meant._

_He truly will never see Atem again, in this life or any other._

_Ahtemahu, the Gentle Protection of Heaven, no longer exists._

* * *

"They will leave you," Diaz whispered into Yugi's face as he held him. "One way or another. You will be alone, with only the King for cold comfort. And what has HE ever done for you? Has he any life, any reality at all but what YOU give him? None. You are his only hold in this reality. Without you, he has nothing, IS nothing. Set him aside, little Prince. Cast him out of your soul, and you will have all that you desire: children, a wife, a home, a quiet existence. I will show you the way. I will show you the power you hold in the secret corridors of your soul--" he broke off as Joey screamed like a banshee and rushed him. With an impatient growl of "Foolish boy," he let Yugi fall and stood, gesturing. A cable snapped out and cracked across Joey's chest like a bull whip, hurling him to one side. Still more wires and cables were pulling themselves up simultaneously, headed for the others like great black snakes.

"You don't BEGIN to know what you're dealing with," Diaz snarled at them. "I was THERE, don't you understand? I paid the price of Atem's folly too! My soul was ripped from me and torn apart when the magic ran wild, but a mockery of life and thought were left in my body. 5000 years I've existed like this, little more than an animated corpse, feeding on the energy of others to stave off my dissolution-- do you know what hell I've been through? Do you know the things I've been forced to endure!"

"DAMN YOU!" Ba-Khu'ra was on his feet. "How much YOU'VE endured? What about US? Do you imagine pain is your province alone! Fool! Idiot! All you've suffered, you well deserve! If not for you and your mage friends, none of this would be!" His hand flashed to his Deck, but before he could draw a card a cable wrapped around him and yanked him into the air, beginning to constrict. Tristan tried to grab hold of the cable, but it bucked him off, sending him tumbling through the chairs and off one end of the podium onto the cavern floor.

Yugi barely noticed any of this; he was struggling to breathe, every heartbeat a new jolt of pain as the knife shifted inside him. Dimly he heard Joey's yelp as the electric cable hit him, felt someone slip their arms around him and cradle him (Tèa?). Somewhere else Yami was trying to get between him and the agony, with little success, since he was trying to fight his way through both Yugi's pain and the echo he was feeling himself. "Puh-please," he gasped, "please.. help.. pull it out.. hurts--"

Tèa hastily swiped at her eyes and tried to think. _Should I-- God, I can't remember my first aid courses but I don't think I--what difference does it make, he's DYING, oh Yugi-- _Steeling herself, she wrapped a shaking hand around the knife's hilt and yanked, slinging it aside as it came free. Yugi cried out, then went limp. She curled around him, crying harder. _He can't be-- Yugi, please, you can't be-- _

Yugi didn't answer. He couldn't. Tèa's face, her voice, her arms around him-- they all seemed to be receeding down a tunnel, dwindling, disappearing. Or maybe he was the one falling into the black. There were hands on his wrists, trying to hold him, but he could feel their grip slipping.

_(Oh this)_

_'NO, you can't leave me-!'_

_(this has already happened)_

"Give him to me." Diaz held out a hand in Tèa's direction. "GIVE HIM TO ME! He was always meant to be in my keeping. I will teach him how to rule this world and the next!"

"NO." That from the podium, and a shaking figure followed it; Seto Kaiba. He glared at Diaz with absolute, icy hatred, then turned, blue eyes on Mokuba's face, softening. "Mokie," he said, voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wanted everything to be perfect for you-- I never wanted you to go without anything... I forgot.. it takes more than things to make a family."

"Seto--" Mokuba shook his head.. "You, you haven't called me 'Mokie' since we were, we were kids..I don't.. you don't HAVE to explain, I KNOW you love me-!"

"Everyone," Kaiba went on, as if he hadn't heard, "forgive me. If I'd listened to Ishizu to begin with, this would never have come this far. It's my fault. Please-- look after Mokuba for me." He straightened. "Diaz, it stops NOW!"

Diaz laughed. "Ah, Seto Kaiba. What are you going to do? Your precious technology's useless against me right now."

"Maybe. But I know something that isn't." Kaiba straightened, lifting one hand into the air as if taking hold of something.

And something was there, in his hand. A gleaming rod of gold with a winged orb on one end, the Millenium symbol alight with a cold fire to match its master's rage.

With an inarticulate cry Kaiba grabbed the Rod in both hands and smashed it down into the heart of his computer system. Arcs of electricity erupted all around him.

"SETOOOOO!" Mokuba screamed, darting forward, only to be driven back by an arc of energy.

"Don't, Mokuba!" Kaiba ordered. "Stay back! GET DIAZ!" The Rod spun in Kaiba's hand like a baton and leveled at Diaz, the Eye symbol still alit. "BE STILL," he snapped. Diaz froze in place, a grimace of effort on his features as he tried to shake off Kaiba's command and failed.

Joey rolled to his feet. Ignoring the pain from his chest, he looked around for a weapon, any weapon. His eyes lit on the dagger Diaz had used to--

To stab--

"TRIS," he said, pointing at the blade.

Tristan blinked; looked down and to the side. A grim coldness entered his eyes. "Okay," he whispered, "okay, Diaz. All right. If you're nothing but a dead man walking... THEN LIE DOWN AND PLAY DEAD!" he yelled, scooping up the blade and flinging it to Joey like a football. Miraculously Joey snagged it without slicing a finger off; wrapped a fist around it; charged Diaz again.

Diaz saw Joey coming and tried to back away. Operative word being 'tried'. His legs refused to obey him. "No-- NO!" He looked to the side. "Junon, Amos--!" He broke off, then shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS DOING? HELP ME!"

"Sorry, Cap'n-- oof settle DOWN you little worm or I'll cut you up an' use you for stink bait! --but enough's enough. Cain't let you go on like this," panted Amos, trying to restrain Serra's madly kicking feet. "War's a mighty horrid thing, but this tops it a mite."

"No more," grunted Junon in agreement. "No MORE!"

"Have you gone mad, the both of you! I hold your lives in my hands!" Diaz momentarily forgot about the furious Joey advancing on him.

"Well, now, there's livin' and there's livin'," Amos said, finally getting Serra's feet under one arm. "Reckon Junon an' me, we don't want to live your way any more. So Cap'n, sir, consider this desertion."

"Then if you wish to be traitors," Diaz said, lifting a hand with great effort, "you'll meet-- a traitor's death--!"

"OH no ya don't." Joey grabbed the front of Diaz's shirt with his free hand, holding him still. With all the strength he could muster, he slammed his fist down right over Diaz's heart, driving the knife almost all the way through the other man. "Do me a favor, bud. Tell ya buddies in Hell I said 'yo, whassup'," he snarled, and let Diaz fall. "Yuge--how's Yugi--" he stumbled over, falling on his knees beside Tèa.

"I-- Joey, I think he's--"

_'Don't leave me alone!'_

_(I remember this, I've been here before)_

The rasp of stone, like a door swinging open, the door of a tomb, or a prison.

Or a Puzzle.

_(That's how, this is where it all began, begins, will begin, time isn't a line, it's all happening now)_

_'Please...'_

_(Wait for me, I swear, I'll find you, I will find you, but if I'm going to find you in the darkness, then I have to be--)_

Light.

Tèa gasped, staring down at Yugi. Across the entire room everything stopped as a soft glow filled the chamber. On Yugi's brow, the symbol of the Millenium Eye appeared, traced in moonlight silver. The wound in his chest knit itself together, closing as she watched, only a scar now. Then Yugi's eyes opened, a little unfocussed, sleepy, serene, as if he'd just awakened from a nap. Their gaze wandered from her face to Joey's; then Yugi smiled. "Tèa... Joey..."

"Yugi-!"

A hissing sound drew their attention off Yugi for a moment. Diaz was lying on the floor, shuddering. Something was pouring out of the knife wound in his chest, but it wasn't blood.

It was sand.

"This.. is not... the end," he rasped, holding up a hand that started to crumble as they watched, falling into more sand. "The Age.. of Chaos... will... not be deniii--"

A moan cut off whatever else he had to say. Junon had fallen to the floor, dropping Serra, who hit and cracked, falling into pieces, like a huge ceramic figurine. Now the giant was clutching his leg, gasping with pain. Amos, meanwhile, had collapsed back against one wall, his hair beginning to rapidly lose its color, turning grey, then white, as his age caught up with him.

_They're dying... Yami, I'm sorry. I need your strength._ Unseen by the others, one of Yugi's hands closed on thin air, holding the hand only he could see. Yami gasped, feeling Yugi's grip burn like fire, a wave of weakness passing over him. _Light_, he thought, _the Prince of Light, of course, light burns the darkness away--_

_Light is nothing without the darkness to shape it. Shadows don't exist without light._ Yugi's other hand extended shakily in Junon's and Amos's direction. _"Now, time, relentless tyrant, turn back on your course; awaken, memories of the past, and be restored, o flesh and bone, which still remembers and yearns to be as it once was..."_

Junon caught his breath, shivering, watching wide-eyed as his right leg shifted and melted and became as normal as his left. Amos, on his other side, looked down at his hands in disbelief as the wrinkles reversed themselves, skin smoothing out to youth again.

With a little nod Yugi let go of Yami. A sigh of contentment; another look at his friends; and he let himself slip into a different darkness, one of exhausted sleep.

"What da..." Joey gaped. "HOW da..."

"You know, Wheeler, sometimes I believe your luck is inversely proportional to your intelligence." Kaiba rested his hands on the console, using it to hold himself up without APPEARING to need a prop. "Considering you're one of the luckiest people I've ever met, the next statement is obvious."

"Huh? I don' get it."

"My point exactly." Turning, Kaiba held out a hand. "Mokuba..."

"Right here, big brother." Mokuba ran in, hugged Kaiba, then stiffened and backed up. "Uh, sorry..."

"Don't bother." Kaiba swept his brother close again.

"Are.. uh... are you feeling okay, Seto?"

A faint smile crossed Kaiba's features. "More than okay, but we've got a lot to talk about, Mokie."

Mokuba smiled up at him in response, blinking back tears.

"All right, stop standing around." This directed at the KaibaCorp technicians. "Get the medical crews in here, get everyone transported out to the infirmary. The day's event is postponed. The official story is a partial collapse farther back in the mineshafts that released a pocket of gas. Some of the Duelists were overcome, but no one was seriously injured."

"Too much to hope for that you'll cancel the whole thing, huh?" Tristan asked.

"Use your brain, Taylor. If I cancel the entire tournament, it'll draw too much attention. Seto Kaiba NEVER just 'cancels' a tournament."

"Oh." Tristan blinked. "Yeah. I didn't think of it that way." He scowled up at Kaiba. "I'm with Mokuba on this one. ARE you all right? And how the heck did you get THAT thing--" he pointed at the Millenium Rod, still clasped in Kaiba's off-hand.

"Why shouldn't I have it? It's mine, after all."

A choked noise made the others look in Bakura's direction. He was pointing at Kaiba, eyes wide, the other hand over his mouth. "Oh my G-God," he stuttered. "You... you actually... accept that..." he stopped, as if hearing something, then sat down abruptly. "Oh yes, of course, that makes perfect sense," he said faintly to no one in particular-- no one visible, that is.

"WHAT makes sense!" Tristan yelled.

"EY! Tris, hold it down, ok? We got sick people here!" Joey stood, Yugi cradled in his arms. "Well... sleepin' people anyways... We'll sort dis out later, okay? Let's just get da hell outta here."

* * *

"Mmm..."

"Hey! Hey, sleepyhead."

Yugi blinked, rubbed his eyes. "Tèa. Hi." He looked around, confused. "Where are we?"

"Kirwin Infirmary. You've been out for about half a day." Tèa took his hand in hers. "How are you feeling?"

"My chest's a little sore..." Yugi rubbed it. "Hey, what's this? Why am I wearing a bandage?"

It was Tèa's turn to blink. "Yugi... don't you remember what happened in the mine?"

"Uh... no... did.. something happen in the mine?"

"Did something happen in the mine." Tèa started laughing; it was either that or cry. "Oh YUGI--" she swept him into her arms, holding him for a long, long moment. "Yeah. A lot of something happened. We'll tell you all about it. But let me get the others first, okay? We've all been waiting for you to wake up."

As she went out, she passed the unseen watcher, who looked thoughtfully across at his younger self. _He remembers nothing_, mused Yami. _Almost as it was in the days when he and I first joined. I wonder... what is it that's awakening in Yugi's soul? Will he be able to control its power... or will the power control him... control US?_

**THE END (but only for now...)**

**NEXT TIME ON YUGIOH: THE COLLEGE YEARS** - Diaz has fallen, but his mysterious comrades still remain.

What is their secret project? How will it affect Yugi and his friends? And what lies ahead, in Egypt? Don't

miss out on "Arc Two - Farewell to the Crown", coming soon to a database near you! (As soon as I write it, that is!)


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